Once Upon a Time Again
by Zee-Zee Magee
Summary: A new curse plagues the citizens of Storybrooke. All of the children have gone missing and its up to Emma to once again save the town. But can she do it when the few possible casters are nowhere to be found? And how is she supposed to save so many when her only family is suffering more than just a few missing members? Perhaps the answers lie with the new strangers in town...
1. Prologue

Once upon a time…

The fairytale characters we all know and love were trapped by an Evil Queen to separate them from their happy endings.

Or so we thought.

The savior came and restored all happy endings, redeemed the Evil Queen and found happiness for herself.

But another curse was on the horizon, tearing the citizens of Storybrooke away from their happy endings once more.

This is how it happened…


	2. The New Curse

The horse squealed as it soared through the air. It groaned against the whips on its flanks. Its owner just kept egging the chestnut beast on, urging the mare to go faster and faster. Trees flanked them on all sides. The heart of the forest was almost too dark to see except for the crescent moon shimmering above them.

Occasional flames would shoot off into the distance. The horse continued on, unafraid of the fireballs sailing ahead of her. Its rider continued to throw magic at whatever offense stood in their way.

 _Almost there_ , the rider thought.

Regina Mills could feel the panic burning in her veins. Her stomach ached with worry at the beat of her horse's light hooves. Her eyes burned with tears from the wind and fear. This was supposed to be her second chance and it was almost over.

The brunette sorceress startled from her haze and urged the horse faster still. She could tell the poor animal was fatigued. She could feel the beads of sweat turning into frothy foam upon the chestnut's glistening neck. The animal would soon perish from the high speeds she roamed.

Regina simply put her palm against the animal's flesh, using magic to heal her waning strength. The foam disappeared and the mare was sprinting far faster than before. A tree fell in the distance. Regina's magic was still tending to her horse. Her heart broke in defeat.

The mare picked up speed but both knew it would be too late. The tree was already on the ground and Regina's magic could only do so much. If it wasn't for the battle earlier, she would have been there by now. But her strength, like her mare's, was waning. She hadn't the time or ability to move the lumbering mess.

Her horse picked up speed again as the magic did its job. She jumped with her rider barely hanging on. Together they landed, kicking up mud. The mare continued on. Regina gave her high praise and a promise of fresh grains for such a noble feat.

Together they raced through the rest of the forest, finding themselves in a clearing far too familiar for their liking. Tents were still smoking but the devastation was obvious. The Merry Men's camp had been set on fire.

Regina slid off the horse and ran forward. There was a small group huddled in the corner. A small boy with a curly mop and a grey stuffed monkey was crying. He was sobbing in the arms of a tall, lanky teenaged boy with brown hair and sad brown eyes. Both boys looked up at the sound of her feet. The teenager moved immediately at the sight of her.

"Mom," he said, "You have to leave-"

"No Henry," the little boy cried, "Majesty will save him. Won't you, majesty?"

Regina's heart broke at the look of absolute hope cresting the poor boy's face. She looked into the eyes of her son and felt her heart break more. His chocolate eyes were red-rimmed. His tight grip on Roland's shoulder told her everything she needed to know.

"I'm too late," she said.

She didn't need her son's nod to know it was true. She could see the group of her true love's fearless band crying. She stood, tears falling down her cheeks softly. She had to say good-bye. She had to let him know how much she truly loved him.

"Regina, no!"

The sorceress felt two big arms fold around her. She struggled to get out of their grasp. She needed to see him, didn't they understand. But the cold metal hook had her arms perfectly pinned before blonde, curly hair filled her view. She turned to her left and Emma Swan was suddenly standing before her.

The blonde's sheriff badge was on her red leather jacket's left breast pocket. It was unusual enough for Regina to stop struggling. In all of their six years of knowing each other, never had the blonde ever worn her badge on her jacket. It was sacrilege.

"I can't let you do this," Emma said, "I can't let you see him like this."

Regina's heart broke further at the way the sheriff's bottom lip wobbled. She felt the hysteria of her pain take hold. She was struggling against the pirate even more. The tears were coming fast now. She could feel the cold hook tugging on her black jacket. Her hands were digging into black leather and white cotton. She had to push her way out.

"Don't struggle, love," the man who held her captive said. "We can't let you do this to yourself."

Regina's face fell from the eyes of the sheriff to those of the infamous Captain Hook. The man's chiseled face looked ashen in the crescent moonlight. His blue eyes were ice to her veins as they peered into her own brown orbs. She could feel her heart dying at the captain's eyeliner trails.

"Please," she begged, "I have to see him."

"No, love," Hook shook his head as he spoke, "He's gone. I promised-"

His voice broke as he continued to pull the brunette tight into his chest. Regina almost allowed herself the luxury of resting her head on his shoulder. The adrenaline was wearing thin now. She could feel the sorrow and exhaustion taking hold. So instead of giving in, she turned towards the sheriff, her best friend.

Emma's hand was already moving to stroke her cheeks and wipe away the stubborn tears. Tears fell from the savior's eyes as she gazed at the sorceress.

"I failed you," Emma said, "I promised you your happy ending and I failed."

Regina's hand latched onto her friend's tightly. Her magic singed against the nerves in her wrist. She was struggling to contain the fireball that wanted to come out. These were her friends and she refused to hurt them. But they needed to let her see him.

"Emma," Regina said, "Please..."

"No, love," Hook said, "I promised Robin I wouldn't let you see him like this."

"He wanted us to protect you," Emma said.

Fresh tears formed in the brunette's eyes. Her tight grip on the sheriff's arm softened. She reached towards the hook caught in her jacket and used the last of her magic to remove it.

"Your majesty," Hook said.

Emma moved to better block her from her pain. But Regina simply used the captain's loose grip against him. She stepped back and looked them both in the eyes. She smiled regally, weakly at them.

"Please," she said, "I have to say good-bye."

She knew immediately when they decided to do as she wished. The two guiltily looked towards each other, two lovers caught in the memory of their own losses of love. Emma's blue eyes closed as though she were fighting against herself. Hook's blue eyes found home with brown and glistened with sadness.

"Aye, Regina," the pirate said, "go."

She slid past the odd pair, the savior and the pirate, and easily found herself blocked by another body. This man who blocked her path was big and strong. His rotund stomach was only matched by his long black beard and curling black hair. His black eyes met hers, red-rimmed just as everyone else.

"You're too late," he cried.

Regina placed her hand on his arm as if to comfort. The man merely engulfed her into a tight bear hug and silently cried into her hair. This was Little John, her true love's best friend, crushed by the loss both of them would soon feel.

He released her without another word. He even blocked the path of Prince Charming and his beloved Snow White from interfering. Regina gasped at the broken image she saw.

Robin Hood, her soulmate and one true love, lay on the ground. His chest refused to move and his angelic face was blue from death's thick embrace. His right arm lay stretched out before him as if still waiting for the poison to corrupt his veins. His right wrist emblazoned with the crest of a proud lion rearing into a roar stood out against the paleness of his skin.

The tears flowed freely once more and Regina was powerless to stop them. She watched as if in a dream as her hand shot out to touch his dirty blonde locks. She swept them away from his forehead almost able to feel the sweat of his brow.

"Robin," Regina cried and it felt as though it was with her last breath that his name was ripped from her lungs.

"I love you," she said.

She leaned down gently her hand still playing with his hair. The tears kept falling but she blinked them away. She had to say good-bye. She had to give him one last kiss. She closed her eyes when her lips made contact with his cold, clammy mouth. A light puckering and her lips were able to give him all of her love in a kiss.

Regina felt a sudden spark of happiness fill her to her very core. A giant rush of wind pulsed from her lips and she felt herself being pushed back by the force of it. Her magic sparked to life inside her veins. Her horse whinnied happily at the edge of camp. The trees rippled as magic in its purest form erupted from the campsite.

A gasp brought Regina's pain to a quick end. Sudden elation and pure joy filled her heart as she looked down. Robin Hood's smiling face was staring up at her. His hands were already joyously reaching towards her cheeks and she leaned down, too elated to stop the public display.

"Regina!" Robin said.

Regina smiled at the sound of his voice. The thick smell of forest invaded her nostrils as she was pulled into another searing kiss. She could feel the magic humming in her body. Her tears were no longer of pain but pure joy. She practically felt her heart swoon as his lips continued to press against hers.

"I saved you," she whispered.

The light chuckle that escaped his lips sounded like music. His hands were suddenly wrapping themselves into her hair and stroking her cheeks. His bright blue eyes kept looking at her as if she would disappear at any moment.

"Did you doubt you ever would?" He dared to ask.

Regina smiled at his confidence, always so confident in her abilities to save. She quickly rewarded him with a chaste kiss and giggled. She found her own hands scouring the contours of his face. She smiled at the soft scruff of his beard.

"Well," she said, "the flaming camp did give me pause."

Robin began to chuckle again, exactly as intended. He bent forward as if to take her lips all over again. Then a blob of curls and happiness bombarded him with kisses.

"She did it! She did it!" Little Roland cried, "Papa! Henry! She did it. Mama saved you!"

Regina's heart stopped cold in her chest at the little boy's words. Fear suddenly filled her as she turned to the father of the boy. The fear was immediately dimmed by the happiness she saw in those bright blue eyes.

"Mama, huh?" Robin said, smiling all the while.

Roland's chubby hands slammed against his mouth in shock of the word. He quickly collapsed into Henry's awaiting arms. Henry simply stood there smirking. Regina smiled too never before feeling so much happiness and love.

"I guess," Robin said, "We can work with that."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin stood on one knee, a ring held boldly out before him. Emma Swan stood with tears glistening in her eyes, wrapped in the arms of her pirate. Prince Charming and Snow White wore twin smiles entwined in love not far away from them. Henry and Roland stood confidently behind the famous outlaw proposing to the brunette.

Every single person in Granny's Dinner stood frozen as they waited for the next stage of this happy ending.

"Regina, will you marry me?" Robin said.

Regina's breath caught in her throat at the look of pure adoration in his eyes. She felt stubborn tears prickling at her corneas. She blinked them back and calmly reached towards her soulmate.

"Yes," she said.

The diner erupted into a loud applause, everyone excited about this new happy ending. Robin put the ring on her finger and rose to meet the sorceress with a kiss. Their happiness was rudely interrupted when the diner's door blew open.

Lights flickered overhead, scaring some of the townsfolk. Emma gave a gentle nod to her best friend and together they turned as one. A man wrapped in pure darkness stepped through the doors, his red cape swishing in the wind.

He said, "Sorry, I'm late."

Two of Robin's men, the burly Little John and the slim Will Scarlet, raised their axes to attack the sickening man. Both were blasted with a cold red puff of magic. They landed in a heap on the counter. Granny grabbed her crossbow while Emma flicked her wrists. A giant white light began to form a shield over the diner's inhabitants.

"Mom, get out of here," Henry called.

He moved forward to stand by the sheriff's side, drawing her sword and aiming to look threatening. His left hand quickly latched onto Emma's shoulder. Hook withdrew his sword and stood by the boy's side.

"Easy, little prince," the man said, "That's no way to speak to a king."

He waved his hand and the shield disintegrated into a million pieces. The blonde was repulsed into the backroom of the diner, her parents racing to help her. Hook calmly dove over Henry, shielding him to the best of his abilities.

The man chuckled at the destruction he caused. He stepped forward, aiming for the young prince with malicious intent. A purple glow erupted before him. He looked up to find Robin Hood staring at him viciously, the woman at his side wielding her magic to protect her son.

"You're not a king anymore," Regina said.

She pulled the outlaw's sword from its sheath. She stepped forward threateningly, her magic pulsing out lightly. The man smiled at the play.

"Now get away from my son," Regina said.

Robin quickly jumped to his fiancé's aid. He pushed his blade down, speaking softly into her ear as he did it.

"Easy Regina," he said, "Let us not stoop to his level like he wants."

He removed his sword from his soulmate's hand. He stepped forward casually, sheathing his weapon. He gave the dark man a wicked grin.

"You're wasting your time, Rothbart," he said, "You've already lost. I won't let you ruin this engagement party."

Rothbart's smile filled Regina with absolute fear. He stepped forward, delicately waving his hands in surrender. He paused as his black eyes fell to Regina. He winked winningly.

"Relax," he said, "I'm not here to ruin anything."

He smiled again. His black eyes circled the room hungrily. He grabbed onto his cape and calmly swished it to the side. He bowed low towards Regina. Then he stunned everyone by turning his cape into a giant box, wrapped to absolute perfection.

"I've simply come to give you a gift," he said.

"We want nothing from you," Robin replied.

He stepped forward slowly. His fingers were itching for his bow. Regina watched as the outlaw's fingers continued to flex in and out from his palms, trying to control the need to pull back the taught string and let loose that infamous arrow. She placed her hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

Rothbart simply chuckled. His dark magic wrapped around the gift in his hands, setting it on fire. The crowd gasped in horror at the show. The madman even lunged playfully towards some of the citizens, scaring them out of their wits.

"Oh but you shall have it," the dark man said.

He stepped forward and every breath in the room stopped. The dark sorcerer reached his palm out as if to touch the former Evil Queen. He was stopped of course by a sword pointing dangerously close to his left cheek. He turned to find himself facing David, the infamous Prince Charming.

"Not another step closer," Charming replied.

"My gift to you," Rothbart continued as if there was no weapon at his throat, "is this happy… happy… day."

Regina gulped, the words a familiar ghost to her heart.

"For tomorrow," Rothbart said and the sorcerer's black eyes of coal moved to stare at her knowingly, "my real work begins."

"How dare-" Robin began.

Rothbart silenced him with words of his own.

"Soon… everything you love. Everything all of you love… Will. Be. Taken from you!"

The entire diner gasped in awe. This was not the first time they heard these particular words. The very woman who first spoke them was standing in the center, having the words uttered back to her in a haunting moment of déjà vu.

"From your suffering," Rothbart said, "will rise my victory."

The dark man waved his hand, sending Charming flying through the air towards his daughter, Emma in the back. Father and daughter collided in a sick crack of skulls on top of each other. Emma's mother, the infamous Snow White, rushed to their sides. Henry and Captain Hook looked on in horror.

Rothbart used his distraction to the fullest. While the others were looking at the suffering of the small family, the dark sorcerer made his move. He pushed the outlaw aside and latched possessively onto the queen's throat. Regina simply glared at the feel of the man's rough hands touching her.

"I will destroy your happiness," Rothbart declared before all who witnessed his moment of triumph.

"If it is the last thing I do."

He backed away from the queen with a sick, sweet smile on his face. Regina watched as that sick smile turned to her new fiancé. The man's shoulders were quaking with laughter at the sight of Robin Hood standing with his bow bared.

He merely waved his hand and the diner door flew open. He smiled politely to everyone bidding them a vicious good night. His heavy set hunting boots were silent as they stomped upon the floor. He was almost to the door Regina noted when her seething outlaw could hold his rage no longer.

"Hey!" Robin called.

Rothbart turned an inquisitive eye in his direction. Robin's arrow went loose as soon as the opportunity arose. The dark sorcerer simply snapped his fingers, disappearing when the arrow was just on the brink of breeching his heart.

Just as the arrow embedded itself in its molding, the diner door slammed closed. A fireball shot out from where the sorcerer once stood. It shot towards the two brown haired, brown eyed boys and their hook-handed pirate.

Regina screamed, "NO!"

She lunged forward, swiping her fiancé's sword as she moved. She reached out to the full extent her arm would allow. The fireball dissolved as it met the sword's vicious blade. Regina felt herself fall down being caught in her descent by the outlaw who stole her heart. They fell to the ground together, sharing looks of fear.

"Don't worry, Regina," Emma Swan said.

She and her father were both rubbing their heads and looking worse for wear. But they were both reaching towards her. They pulled the pair to their feet. They all looked towards the door. The silence of the diner was impenetrable. The party was effectively in shambles.

Henry latched onto his mother's hand while Roland still clung to his brother's left leg. The small family pulled each other close, sharing in their love for comfort and hope.

"It's okay Mom," Henry said, "We'll stop him."

"You always save the day," Roland agreed.

"It's not that simple," Regina sighed.

"No," Robin reluctantly agreed, "It's not."

* * *

Storybrooke – Present Day

Emma Swan was disturbed from her deep slumber by an annoying ringing in her ears. Her eyes opened to the glaring red of her clock blaring 8:15 A.M. After determining that it was indeed her phone that was making the unbearable noise, her hand shot out to silence it. Her fingers stumbled over splayed books and candy bar wrappers. Still the phone was nowhere to be seen.

"Here love," a gentle voice called out to her.

Emma turned to her left, smiling guiltily at her boyfriend's disgruntled expression. Killian Jones, a.k.a. Captain Hook, looked especially cute when half-asleep. She gave him a quick peck on the lips in thanks before answering the phone. The voice on the other end of the line delivered a blow to her bubbling happiness.

"Your brother and mother are missing," her father's voice said.

Emma sat up on high alert. David Nolan had never been a man to easily panic. He had once ruled an entire kingdom during the nine months Snow white was pregnant with Emma. He knew what it was like to keep his cool when things went south. This was bad.

"I'm on my way," Emma said.

She hung up the phone reluctantly.

"Red Leather Jacket all set, love," Killian said.

Emma looked up and smiled at her boyfriend. He held in his arms her infamous jacket and her favorite pair of blue jeans. A nice black t-shirt was already attached to the outfit and her keys dangled from his hook.

Emma's yellow pickup arrived on scene at her parents' apartment with a screech of tires. A tall, muscular man with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes rushed out of the apartment complex. He raced towards Emma and pulled her into a hug, his sheriff badge colliding with hers in a loud click.

"It's gonna be okay," she whispered.

Her father simply nodded and Emma couldn't help but stare. For the first time she could see the age difference between them. Sure he looked to be about a year younger than her in all technicality, but she was beginning to see the lines drawing themselves around his eyes. His forehead had a few new crinkles too. His hair even looked like it had a bit of grey.

"It gets worse," her father said. He at least looked a little guilty for her.

"Snow and Neal aren't the only one's missing."

Emma felt as though she was just slapped. Her heart suddenly sank deep within her chest. She felt as though cold water was being poured all over.

"I've been getting calls since I hung up with you," David said, "All of the children are missing."

"That can't be," Hook said, "They were all accounted for yesterday?"

Emma couldn't speak. Her thoughts went with her heart. She was now worried about Henry, her son. She pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend's number. If anybody knew where Henry was it would be Regina Mills. She was his adoptive mother after all. The call immediately went to voicemail.

"Regina didn't answer me," Emma sighed.

"We've got bigger problems than that, love."

Emma looked up to find her boyfriend's signature hook pointing to her right. She followed his keen gaze and was disturbed to find a crowd of citizens marching hurriedly their way. Nobody looked happy either. Their loud chatter and rants could be heard even from such a long distance now.

Emma swallowed and quickly dialed the mayor's number again.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina Mills was not a patient woman. Everyone who knew her knew she had no patience to spare and a short temper to go with it. So she was obviously working on her very last nerve as she stared at herself in the mirror.

"I can't do this," she declared briskly.

"Uggggggggggh!" Emma said.

Snow was a bit more delicate than her daughter. She politely bent her head forward to hide her smirk while her daughter dramatically flopped onto the convenient love seat in the back corner of the room. She smiled as her gaze once again fell on the sorceress before her.

"Regina…" she began.

"I'm not doing this," Regina said, glaring defiantly at the petite brunette.

Snow White was not easily tempered by the brunette before her. The defiant chocolate eyes of the sorceress were softened by the very image she created. Her white ball gown tapered to her feet in long fluttering flow of tulle and lace. Her hair was arranged neatly on her head, a ponytail of cascading curls with petite white roses woven in.

"I'm just going to tell him it's over," Regina said not even noticing the forming of tears in her chocolate eyes, "He'll understand but it's for the best…"

"Regina," Snow tried.

"Oh my god stop worrying!" Emma interrupted.

Snow shot her a severe look but her daughter, as usual, ignored it. The blonde simply stood up in her ridiculously tall red heels and walked towards her best friend, bouquets her chosen weapon of destruction. Snow had little time to stop the woman before she snapped all of the beautiful roses on top of Regina's pretty head.

"Emma!" Snow scolded.

Her daughter froze, bouquets inches from their target. Her wide green eyes were the only give away to the feeling of guilt. But there was tirelessness and fear as well. The savior simply wanted her friend back not this worrying beauty before them.

"It's just a wedding," Emma replied sheepishly, "She's not being dragged to her death."

"And how do you think she felt the first time around," Snow asked, "when she was forced to marry my father after Dan-"

"That's enough!"

Snow found chocolate eyes glaring heavily at her. The rosy complexion of Regina's cheeks were now crimson with anger and pain. Dark shadows of wounds past were flicking towards the surface and there was nothing Snow could do for her stepmother. So she stepped forward, ever cautious, and gently placed a caring hand on her cheek.

"You have earned your happiness," Snow said, smiling as the tears began to disappear. "Don't give Rothbart what he wants. Enjoy it. Don't run."

"I've been telling her that for weeks," Emma said, grumbling about the unfairness of it all as only she could.

Snow took in her daughter's red dress and the way it hugged her every curve. She took note of the way Emma's blonde hair was merely curled away from her face and given only enough make-up to enhance her beautiful features. A necklace of a beautiful swan in flight was the only jewelry that adorned her perfect pale neck. She looked almost normal if Snow hadn't seen the gun case strapped to her calf right where the dress could hide it from view if she didn't move just right.

"Look at Emma," Snow said with pride in her voice, "Look at the careful planning you put into every aspect of this wedding. You know running away isn't what you want."

Snow looked up and found that Regina's chocolate eyes refused to budge from her. Sparkles appeared to be growing into tears but she petulantly refused to look anywhere but at her stepdaughter. So Snow made herself the anchor. She quickly pulled the sorceress' hands into her own and pointed at the perfectly ordinary diamond that adorned her finger.

"Your magic," she said, "gave you your happy ending. Embrace it and don't even think about Rothbart's words. We've taken care of him. He can't hurt you if you don't let him."

"How can you say that?" Regina asked, "How can you even think that when you know what he said? You know that his words were true just as they were true all those years ago. He used my words, Snow!"

And that was the source of the problem. Because sitting in the chair before the infamous princess Snow White was her stepmother the Evil Queen redeemed. She didn't focus on the good she has made for the people of Storybrooke nor would she focus on the idea of being, finally, the hero she should have always been. No, Regina Mills was always a product of her past, and thus in her mind deserved this punishment.

"Oh don't tell me she's getting cold feet again."

Snow watched as the tears receded in her stepmother's eyes. She saw the wounds of hatred and disgust take over her saddened features. Then the hardness of the Evil Queen was on full display, softened only when she looked at anyone but the woman in the doorway.

Zelena the Wicked Witch of the West stood with a heavy smirk on her features. Her red curls bounced as she stepped into the room, closing it with a magical wave of her hand. She laughed at the glowering look Emma threw her way and merely rolled her eyes at her sister's hiss of a hello. Her green dress left little to the imagination as it clung to her tightly and her green heels had an odd click on the tiled floor.

"Just get over it little sister," Zelena said directing her attention to the brunette silently seething in the chair, "He's trapped away in the woods with nowhere to go and no one to talk to. It was a threat full of hot air."

Zelena then laughed at her own little joke, as if it was just that and not something worse. She didn't even seem to notice the way her sister flinched or how tightly Snow was clasping her hands. This kind of torture had to end. Snow was not going to let her stepmother's second chance at happiness be ruined by anyone.

She stood to her full height, slipping only a little as the red heels were not her usual chose footwear. She tucked her black skirt to the side as it was supposed to go and marched forward on careful steps. She pointed one threatening hand at Zelena's cackling form, eyes blazing with anger and determination.

"What do you want Zelena?" She asked, "because if you have come here to ruin this wedding I will make certain my daughter blasts you into next week and I won't even lose an ounce of sleep over it. Do you understand me?"

Zelena, she was satisfied to note, looked surprised by the outburst. The witch held up her hands in mock surrender and casually shrugged as if she hadn't just been threatened. She opened her palm again. Green smoke circled around in a tiny area on her palm before a present wrapped in green was finally there.

"I simply came to give my little sister an early wedding present," she said, "One that can only be opened before the ceremony."

"So you chose ten minutes before hand as a wonderful time to present it?" Emma asked, voice dripping with anger and sass.

Snow calmly ignored both the witch and her daughter. She also refused to acknowledge the growing scowl on her daughter's face or the way it reminded her of Emma's father, David, calmly standing in with the other groomsmen to calm the groom down.

Instead Snow White focused on the bride and found an odd pale-faced form sitting before her. Regina was eyeing the package with a bizarre trepidation. But she made no move to either remove the package, an easy feat with her magic now of dark and light. She simply stared at it and that was when Snow knew more than she ever wanted to.

"Do you want to see what's in the package?" Snow whispered.

She knew she didn't have to. Emma was too busy listing all the ways she could hurt the wicked witch to even pay attention to them. Zelena likewise was taunting the savior every which way to Sunday. The two couldn't stand each other and the feelings only grew more and more mutual with every breath the other carried. Even if Zelena did help them defeat Rothbart, Emma would never trust her to do the right thing. None of them would.

Regina, though, was shocked enough by the question to peel her eyes away. She looked at Snow with a newfound determination, a defense of her own rising to her lips.

"I have to give her a chance," she said.

It was the unspoken rule when it came to Zelena. No matter what evil she performed, and there were many a list that only rivaled that of the Evil Queen herself, Regina had to give her a chance at redemption. It was something only Snow could understand, an honor bestowed because of the many second chances Regina was given for her deeds. But Zelena had never showed any interest in redeeming herself. But Snow knew Regina and was willing to give her the courage to follow her heart.

"Then open it," Snow said, "but please be careful. I cannot stress enough how many times Emma would kill me if I was responsible for killing her best friend."

Regina smiled, the first in weeks. She gently grapsed Snow's hand and squeezed.

"Just tell her you killed her grandmother," she said, "that will shut her up."

She rose to her feet as an elegant queen should. Then she calmly placed her hand on Emma's shoulder, squeezing away the tension. Snow watched her daughter's green eyes grow wide in concern at the silent order but she stayed her sharp tongue. She bowed her head and only looked mildly concerned when Regina reached towards the box.

"Thank you, Zelena," Regina said.

She took the gift and began opening it with abandon. She pulled back the bow and loosened its knots. Then she reached for the taped portions with the precision of one unwilling to destroy the wonderful wrappings. She pulled away the paper, leaving it pristine and virtual untouched. Then her hand covered the top of the box and began to pull it open.

"Don't thank me yet," Zelena's voice called through the air.

Snow had no time to ponder the odd words the witch said. Regina had opened the box. And a green smoke filled the room.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Regina Mills, please leave a message and I will try to get back to you. If this is Emma Swan, get off your lazy butt and use your magic for once instead of relying on mine."

The phone beeped, signaling that Emma Swan had once again been sent to voicemail. She slammed the phone down, hard. The shout of frustration that fell from her lips made nothing better. She still felt the frustration clawing away in her chest. Then she became aware of the noise in the room. There was none to be found.

Emma looked up and found varying looks of shock and horror before her. Every citizen of Storybrooke was cocooned into the town hall, and staring at her in fear. She was their leader and she was displaying signs of anybody but. She smiled guiltily to the crowd and looked towards her father for help. David, always the royal prince in any realm, rose to his feet and smiled to the crowd.

"Everybody please do not panic," he said by way of greeting.

That was an instant turning point for everyone involved. The silent citizens vanished behind a screaming mob of anger and disgust. They started shouting things of betrayal and heartaches. Somebody lost their baby, an innocent bundle who couldn't defend themselves from the world even if they wanted to. Another lost four rambunctious boys and her pregnant belly was no longer flowing with life inside. Still others had lost children who were almost fully grown, teenagers who had never displayed even a thoughts towards abandoning home.

The town was a mess and so was this meeting. Still Emma couldn't help but hope there was a silver lining to this new epidemic. If she could just find her son, maybe everything the people feared was wrong. Perhaps the children were put under a spell meant to make the parents panic. Maybe they were safe. Maybe this was all just…

"What if it's Pan?" Somebody screamed.

Emma felt her heart freeze and tears sprang to her eyes. Her hands shook as she forced herself to dial the mayor's number again.

First Ring and she swallowed the thick lump in her throat.

Second Ring and she was battling against memories of their time in Neverland.

Third Ring and she was silently cursing Regina for not keeping better track of her cell phone.

"Regina Mills, please leave a message and I will try to get back to you. If this is Emma…"

Emma hung up her phone and dialed again.

One ring. Two ring. Three rings and then the same message played again. So the action was put on repeat for probably the hundredth time since she started this whole mess. The phone rang three times and continued to go to voicemail. It was nothing but an endless spiral with only shouts and accusations spitting out from the crowd below.

"It was the Evil Queen!"

Emma snapped to attention at that. She rose to her feet and stepped menancingly in the direction of the crowd. She couldn't hear the voice well enough to know exactly who it was. But she knew the coward was hiding amongst the confused faces all around. She opened her mouth to speak her mind and demand to know the truth.

"Pipe down!" Leroy, the former town drunk, said. "Ain't no way in hell Regina would cast this spell. You would have to be a moron to think that."

"She's the one who cursed us to begin with," another voice shouted in reply.

This time Emma heard it well enough to identify that it was someone in the back row. She looked to her left and scanned the faces. She was disgusted to see the district attorney simply smiling smugly at the chaos. His black eyes were trained on David with the same disdain he always wore. Emma silently wondered if he was the one responsible for the rumor.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The green smoke fell away just as quickly as it came. Snow felt herself spinning as the magical transport started to fade all around. She coughed, her lack of oxygen and the condense pressing doing nothing for her lungs. That was when she noticed the glass casings underneath her palms.

"Zelena!" Regina growled and Snow looked up in time to notice a fireball in her hands.

"What have you done?" She asked.

The witch simply shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. She pointed all around them, showcasing the many odd trinkets stolen in the first curse to haunt their land. She then gestured to the well-dressed man at the counter before them.

"You have questions," Zelena said, "He's got your answers, sis. Ask away so we can go back to the chapel. Robbie's waiting and we haven't got much time for chit-chat. Hello Rumple, dear."

She waved her hand and the man behind the counter simply scowled. His well-tailored suit was charcoal grey today. It fit against his shoulders like a glove and even sported a red rose that gave Snow the impression of a man dressed for his own funeral. His white cotton shirt gleamed gold in the few streams of sunlight penetrating the darkness of the pawnshop. His graying hair was slicked back into an elegant ponytail. He stood firm at his counter, his usual calculating smirk.

"What brings you here" Rumpelstiltskin asked, "Your majesty?"

Regina ignored him in favor of glaring at her sister. Snow didn't mind that at all. She merely intercepted her daughter, mouth open to get into yet another argument with the wicked witch, and stepped up to the counter as if it were nothing. She ignored the chill of old memories from a lifetime ago when the first curse was about to plague their land.

"I have a question for you," Snow said.

"No you don't," Rumpelstiltskin replied and it was enough of an echo for Snow to feel herself flinch.

Emma placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and glared at the dark sorcerer before them. But Rumpelstiltskin no longer found the savior intimidating and merely chuckled at her glaring personality. He casually walked around his counter and pointed at the bridal gown wearing sorceress.

"She does," he said, "So fess up, dearie. Ask your question and I will see what I can do."

Snow opened her mouth to argue with the man. She wasn't going to force her stepmother to live through every moment Snow herself had to when the Dark Curse first threatened the land. She was going to spare Regina as much of the pain as possible. This curse was not the same. This situation was not the same.

She was not the same.

"Let her speak, dearie," Rumpelstilskin interrupted.

He raised his hand and Snow found her words caught in her throat. As hard as she tried not a single word could leave her voice box. They just became a giant ball growing like flem in her throat. Each time they were about to reach her tongue they would only be swallowed back and silence reigned supreme.

But Regina merely rolled her eyes and waved her right hand. The ball of words dissolved and Snow couldn't help but choke. She felt Emma pat her back helpfully and raised her own glare the Dark One's way. He just chuckled darkly and turned his attention to the bride.

"What's your price?" Regina asked and this time she interrupted him, "I know you, Rumpelstiltskin. Everything you do has a price so let's get this over with."

"Very well," he said.

And just as he was about to deliver what he wanted a new figure entered the pawnshop. Decked in an elegant gold gown that started from the left shoulder and fell towards the ground, Belle appeared before them all. Her hair was pinned in a firm French twist and she held a black clasp in her right hand. Gold bangles of braclets scored her right arm while her left only carried her wedding band.

"Sorry but I forgot Regina and Robin's wedding present," she said by way of greeting, "Are you sure you don't want to go?"

It was then that she gasped and her blue-green eyes took notice of the visitors in the shop. Her eyes fell upon each of them with shock and confusion. Zelena she barely even glanced at before her eyes landed on the bride standing in the middle of the store. Tears sprang to her eyes and Belle's face was lit with a smile.

"Regina you look absolutely beautiful," she said.

Regina in turned bowed her head and tried to maintain her composure. Snow smiled because she could see the echoes of a smile forming on the sorceress' lips. For once Zelena had been right. Perhaps this was the best way to give Regina the hope she so desperately needed.

"Thank you, Belle," Regina said.

"So back to the price," Snow said, "What do you want? I'll pay it."

"Mom, no."

Snow looked towards her daughter and smiled. She quickly grabbed her hand and squeezed with all her love. She looked towards Regina and nodded her head. But her stepmother looked angry and hurt. She shook her head and stepped forward cautiously. She opened her mouth as if to offer her own plan.

"Consider it a wedding present," Rumpelstiltskin said, "but it is anything but."

Regina's mouth closed and her eyes flashed over to Emma and Snow. Both women nodded and Snow felt the sudden urge to wrap her stepmother into a tight hug and never let go. She contained herself and waited with bated breath for the Dark One to tell his prophecy.

"What can we do to stop the curse?" Regina asked.

"You can't," Rumple said, "but that is not the question you want to ask."

"How do we stop it?" Snow said, allowing her anger to sneak through.

"That's it," Rumple said, "You wish to stop Rothbart's curse, a curse you yourself have cast, your majesty. You know it cannot be stopped once it is cast."

"But we can stop him from casting it?" Regina asked in return, "He doesn't even know how to make the curse in the first place."

"Ah but the curse will be cast," Rumpelstiltskin said, "For the final battle begins and ends with a curse."

"So that's it?" Emma demanded her voice cold with fear and concern, "That's the end of our story. Regina stopped being the Evil Queen, became a hero and now we all get cursed out of Storybrooke. She's supposed to get her happy ending just like the rest of us!"

"Emma," Regina warned.

"It's not that simple, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "Rothbart needs the curse's recipe and he will get it though I don't yet know how. Parts of the future are still unraveling. They will not reveal themselves until it is too late."

"Then what can we do?" Belle asked finally speaking to her husband after all this time. "How do we break it?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked at his wife, his one true love, with heartbreak. He held out his hand and gently pulled until she was in his arms. He hugged her to his chest and kissed her temple. Then his black eyes found home with Regina and revealed his prophecy.

"The curse will be cast," he said, "but it will not be here. Time will once again be our prisons but so too our memories. We will not know who we are. We will not know who we love. Everything we love will be gone."

"We know that already!" Regina hissed patience thin and wearing.

"But here is what you don't know," Rumpelstiltskin replied.

He separated himself from his wife and peered into the chocolate depths of his once evil student. He gently placed his hands onto her chin and pulled until they were eye to eye. Then he leaned forward so their foreheads were touching. A lonesome finger flung out and he wiped away a single tear from her cheek.

"Four will escape," he said, "That is how the curse will break. Not in something old, nor something new. But in something borrowed, but not blue! That is how you defeat the curse. Get the children to safety, Regina, and you will save us all."

He released her cheeks with no gentle touch. He snapped away from her as if burned. Then his black eyes turned gold as he stared at the former Evil Queen. He carefully reached one pointer finger out and began to trace her cheeks ever so carefully. The gold of his eyes flared out into their usual black color and a smile crossed his face.

"No more happy endings," he said.

Then he laughed. It was an evil cackle reminiscent to the ones he gave back in the Enchanted Forest, their homeland. He reached towards the queen again, going for her throat this time. It was Emma's white magic that soared onto his hand, forcing a giant tear to break his skin before it grew back as if nothing happened at all.

"Next time I cut it off," Emma sneered viciously.

Rumpelstiltskin turned to her, his skin glowing gold. He looked almost like his old self, the dark one from all those years ago. He stepped threateningly towards the savior. His hand reached out and calmly touched her hair. Snow felt the compulsion to pull her daughter away but found herself too curious to act on the thought. She watched as the man behind the monster fought for control.

"How very like your father you are," he observed, "but this time you will not escape the curse's grasp. Only her children, Ms. Swan. Light and Dark together will set them free. And the final battle will come to its end."

"I've heard enough," Emma replied, "We're going."

Snow felt herself being tugged away from the cackling madman. She had to fight just to grab Belle away. But it was the madman's last words that sent the shiver up the group's backs.

"Fear not your happiness, Regina. For today is a glorious, happy day. You're practically glowing."

The door to his shop swung close before Snow could even hope to ask for more information. Purple smoke fell around them, clawing away at her lungs and making it impossible to think clearly. The curse was going to be cast and they had no hope of stopping it.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"That's enough!"

David slammed his fist on the podium as he spoke. He glared at each and every individual until they all calmed down. He waited, the ever patient royal, until each and every noise that escaped the crowd was silenced. He cleared his throat and began his next course for getting to the bottom of this.

"Now I know we are all scared," he said, "I'm scared too. When I woke this morning it was to an empty house, a house without my child or my wife."

"Snow White is missing too?" Somebody, a voice that sounded female and horrified, said.

"Yes," David said, "Snow is missing which is why I want to get down to the bottom of this just as much as you do. But we cannot solve anything by accusing others without proper evidence."

Emma was glad to see the people shrinking back at his words. She was proud her father could separate himself from his worry, and she knew he was worried, and still help the people. It was probably one of the things she admired most about him. That and he was spectacular with a sword.

"Now," David said, "Besides the children. Is there anyone else who woke up like I did? Any adults that have gone missing? Friends or neighbors perhaps?"

The quiet was not to last. A murmur started throughout the startled crowd. Names started flying off their tongues with rapid speed. Some listed off husbands who had apparently once served as guards. Others were naming people even Emma didn't know existed in the town. Some people listed off people who then stood up and explained that they had been right there the whole time.

Emma had to literally bite down on her tongue on those particular occasions. The names flying out of mouths did not match any of the ones she was hoping to hear. Nobody seemed even remotely aware that the mayor and her family were unaccounted for. Even the Merry Men, Robin's thieving bunch, were not among the list of names missing. But Emma couldn't help but wonder. Perhaps they were separated from those who came to Storybrooke in the first curse.

Somebody else voiced this question a moment later. Leroy, as Emma was relieved to see, had asked that question as soon as the crowd got quiet. He looked directly at David when he spoke, hopeful and ready to go as ever. He even grinned when David opened his mouth to reply.

"If that were true than why are Philip and I here?"

Wearing a dress as she always did these days Princess Aurora stood side by side with her handsome husband. The two were a pillar of strength despite their alarm. Emma could tell tears were still glistening on the young princess's cheeks and she couldn't help but be impressed. Aurora was one of the few mothers who woke up with a flat stomach when she had gone to bed seven months along. And her young son Prince Philip junior was also missing.

"Look," David said, "That is a good theory and I am glad that not all of our second curse citizens are among the disappearing. But we need more information about who is missing if we are to get to the bottom of this. Is there anybody you can think of not present with the power to cast this kind of curse?"

Besides the Evil Queen, Emma added in her head. She could see her father moving to do the same but it was already too late. A new hustle of accusations came screaming out. Some were blaming Regina. Others, even a few surprises like Mother Superior and her fairies, were defending her. Some were blaming Rumpelstiltskin who was on Emma's list of suspects to question as soon as the meeting was over. And then somebody voiced the most wonderful idea Emma had ever heard.

"What about the wicked witch?" Leroy asked boldly, his voice booming over the shouts of everyone. "Has anybody seen her since this whole thing began? If anybody would do it, it would be her."

Emma jumped to her feet so happily to answer that question. She was about to take up that one suggestion and follow it to its end. Because how could it not be the witch? It explained why Regina and Robin were missing as well as their children. It would explain why the Merry Men were nowhere to be found. It would also explain why people were still considering Regina evil after the many times she helped Emma save the town.

But like all wonderful news in Storybrooke, fate was once again not on the savior's side. Just as she was about to announce her investigation a giant ruckus was heard outside the grand doors of townhall. The giant oak doors gave way and a group of men poured to fill in what little space was left on the black and white marble covered floor.

A giant man with wild black hair and a giant scraggly beard headed the new heard of people. He marched straight towards the podium with the air of authority. Little John, second in command of the Merry Men, was now present and accounted for. Beside him stood a skinny, lean man with hair that barely peeked over his forehead. He held in his hand one of Regina's spellbooks and a bottle of her finest wine. Anybody who knew the mayor knew Will Scarlet had just left her house.

The Merry Men were no longer missing.

"We have a problem," Little John said.

And Emma felt her stomach drop as his next words fell from his lips.

"Zelena's missing."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"That's enough!" Robin cried to the crowd.

They were in the mayor's office, a tiny monochromatic room decorated with only the best the modern world had to offer. The small group sat in a leisurely circle around the mayor's unusually cluttered desk. Robin stood with his fist firmly planted on the one open area allotted to him on the desk. Regina, as usual sitting in her mayoral chair, was at his side. To her left stood Emma Swan, red leather draped arms crossed in front of her. Together they acted as a shield between the mayor and the rest of the war council.

"I will not hear further talk of battle or slaughter," Robin continued coolly, "Many lives have been risked enough at the hands of Rothbart. I will not risk any more. Besides he has been isolated to the only section of the woods not traversed in Storybrooke. There is no need to act on such violence."

Grumpy, as always, refused to be tamed by these words. He had to live up to his name even if in Storybrooke he went by Leroy. He merely growled at the king of thieves and pointed to the pile of books that hid away Regina's face.

"You heard what he said, Robin," the dwarf said, "He used the queen's words specifically. He is going to cast the curse. Rumpelstiltskin confirmed that as your wedding present. Whatever he's not telling us means it's pretty bad. We have to do something about it now. I don't want to live in town of some madman's making again. No offense, Regina."

The grumbling assent from the others wasn't ideal. Robin had to bite his tongue and swallow his anger to keep from snapping at the cowards before him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Emma uncross her arms and bristle as she stepped forward. Regina was too lost in thought to even take notice of the savior. So Robin looked directly at his only other allies and nodded his head.

"Fighting is a bad idea," Charming said.

He easily kicked off the wall, eyeing Regina for any response and only frowning more when he got none. He stepped forward towards the others and inclined his head to their resident conscious Jiminy Cricket. The redhead smiled in encouragement and the prince kept speaking.

"Giving in to our darkness won't accomplish anything, Leroy. We have to do this the right way. Will, you've been keeping an eye on him. What have you learned?"

"Other than how boring he is?" Will replied easily, "Nothin of importance. But I'll be sure ta tell ya when I find it. Now if yull just tell yer pirate to give me a swig o his rum I'll be on me way."

Robin kindly ignored the pirate's threats in favor of peace for everyone. He could see Granny swatting his man with her knitting needles and Will immediately slammed into his chair in defeat. Little John also stepped forward, hesitance in his eyes.

"What is it John?" Robin asked.

Little John stared pleadingly towards him for a moment. All eyes turned to him and his giant frame seemed to shrink at the attention. Still he bowed his head and asked in a deep, brave voice.

"Can we even trust Rumpelstiltskin?"

A tense quiet settled over the office in respect for their only missing member. Belle was still locked away with the fairies in deep research, fighting to find something of use against this newest curse. But being the Rumpelstiltskin's wife no one wanted to hurt her feelings when questioning the Dark One's actions.

"It's true," Robin admitted sadly, "Mine and David's men have heard Rothbart's success with the curse has only been growing."

"He now has the recipe," Charming added softly, "The curse is happening."

"But only if we don't do something to stop him now," Grumpy said, "We should kill him now before all our lives are at stake..."

"There's no point!"

All eyes turned to the pale face of Regina. Her imposing frame looked small trapped behind the towering books of useless spells and other worlds. But her chocolate eyes held nothing but pain and despair. Robin could see the last shreds of hope disappearing even as she spoke.

"The future is set in stone," Regina said, "The curse is coming and there is nothing we can do to stop it."

Robin grabbed her wavering right hand and gently kissed her palm. He bowed down until their foreheads were one. His blue eyes connected with her chocolate ones and held them captive. Then he placed his free hand on her cheek and gave her all the hope he had.

"If you believe Rumpelstiltskin," he said, "then you must believe the rest of his prophecy. Four will escape the curse and you will defeat it. We just need hope."

"How can I have hope when I'm the reason, once again, why everyone in town must suffer," she huffed in despair, "Even when I do the right thing I'm still the villain."

Robin pulled away, prepared to roll his eyes and remind her of the truth. Only he was stopped by Emma Swan doing the exact same thing. The savior's green eyes disappeared into her head before she thrust her hand into a pile of books, books they had yet to read, and pushed them to the floor.

It was enough to gain Regina's attention. The savior then placed both hands firmly on the newly emptied portion of desk and made certain her face was directly glaring into the mayor's. Her words were sharp and haughty when she spoke.

"You are not the Evil Queen anymore and this curse isn't your fault!"

Regina, naturally, opened her mouth to argue but it was Robin's turn to interrupt.

"Remember milady," he said, "It is my family that Rothbart cursed. It is my name he says with derision. And that it is me and everyone I love that he targets."

He pulled Regina towards him and gently gave her a kiss of reassurance.

"It is not you who punishes these people my love," he said, "but me for merely being born. And it is Rothbart who is doing this to punish us."

"Part of that punishment is simply to make you suffer," Grumpy declared.

He had risen at some point as well. The dwarf was now pointing towards everyone, reminding them of all the good Regina had done for them. He then had the crowd laughing and releasing their tension with the hope that they would find this vessel.

"So see," Grumpy finished with a glowing pride in his eyes, "We're helping you like you helped us. Because we're family and that's what family does."

The mayor's doors cracked open, flooding with fairies until only two remained. Blue and Belle both entered with giant smiles on their faces. Belle was holding a book while Blue carried her wand. Together they entered and did not stop until they were at the mayor's desk.

"What's this?" Robin asked forlorn.

"Our only hope," Blue replied.

"A book?" Grumpy asked, "Our only hope is a book Belle found? Can we go over that fighting thing just one more time?"

"It's not the book itself but the enchantment inside," Belle said, "We believe it is the one Rumpelstiltskin was referring to when he gave you that prophecy, Regina."

The tension of the room fluttered away at the happy news. Hope was starting to return. Robin could see it on everybody's faces. Gepetto and Jiminy were high-fiving. Granny and Will shared a fistbump. Little John even dared to have a smile on his face. But Robin needed to hear more before he would be willing to celebrate.

"We need ashes from the wardrobe that brought Emma here," Blue said, "Marco do you think…"

"I have some of the sawdust stored safely away in my boy's new clock," the handy-man replied, "He and I will bring it to the mayor as soon as we are done here."

"Good," Blue said, "Because this spell requires both Emma and Regina's magic in order to be cast."

"But there is a catch," Belle was loath to say.

And that was the moment the tension returned tenfold. All of the happy faces and moments of merriment flittered away. Robin felt his own heart stop at the terrible impending doom. He felt Regina grab his hand and squeeze encouragement.

"We need an object that escaped the Dark Curse before," she said.

Robin closed his eyes against the fear in his chest. He fought war with it until he was certain he could look at Regina with hope once more. His blue eyes burst open and he turned to give her everything she needed. Only to find his wife smiling back at him like never before.

"Why are you smiling?" Emma asked, "I burnt the wardrobe. Everything else that escape the curse is in the Enchanted Forest and even that's not true because the second curse happened and who knows what's over there."

"We don't need to go to the Enchanted Forest," Regina said.

Her smile grew ever wider. She gently kissed Robin with all the love she had and then turned to the savior with hope in her voice. She pulled her friend down so they were eye level. Then she revealed her wicked truth.

"The bug," she said.

Confusion found home on more than just the savior's face. Belle and Grumpy shared a worried gaze while Little John and Will looked towards their leader for answers. But Robin was fearful to notice the smiles suddenly appearing on Snow and Charmin's faces. Whatever his wife's thoughts, they were behind it one hundred percent.

"Your stupid ridiculous yellow bug, Emma," Regina cheered, "It escaped the curse."

"No…" Emma argued.

"The curse I cast on it was a simple forgetting spell not the Dark Curse," Regina said, "When you drove over Storybrooke's townline it was untouched by the curse. Your bug is our only chance."

Then a smile broke over the savior's lips and Robin felt his chest relax with understanding.

"And it seats four," they said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

If the citizens of Storybrooke weren't in a panic before they most certainly were now. People were screaming and latching onto the family members not missing. Some were even starting to the doors. Emma was afraid a stampede was about to begin. So she did what any good sheriff would do. She closed her eyes and set her anger and panic aside.

Her green eyes shot open and with a wave of her hand the doors closed.

"Alright that's enough!" She screamed over the roar of the crowd.

It took her a few more times before she was even able to get her words into their panicked minds. But soon all eyes found home on her and she used it to her advantage. She carefully raised her hands in a calming, soothing gesture and asked for peace.

"Nobody panic," she said as her first order of business, "Zelena is not the only one missing. We don't know who else in the asylum is free to roam the streets and we most certainly do not know if we should be in a panic or not."

She watched as everybody seemed to absorb her words. Then the citizens of Storybrooke went back to their seats, trickling one by one into their designated chairs. Still Emma could see a few stragglers eyeing the doors carefully. She waved her hand and a giant lock appeared there.

"Now," she said, "I still have my magic which means so does Regina and Mother Superior and the rest of the nuns. There are plenty of good magic users here to protect you. Zelena might be the only one missing and if she is there is a chance she's the one who did this."

She watched as the crowd began to settle. Their ears were once again perked to attention. She was giving them exactly what they asked for. They wanted to believe they were safe, to have hope. She could do that. She was the savior. It was quite literally in her job description.

If only that could ever be enough.

Little John and the merry men stayed standing in the front. Some of the men branched out to better stop the crowd should it swell again but most stayed in the front. Emma found it odd until she caught sight of Will waving her towards him. He then thrust the book into her hands and pointed at it.

"It was her mother's yeah?" He asked.

Emma nodded her head and stared at the evil thing. Regina's mother had been a piece of work until her untimely death at the hands of Mary-Margaret Nolan. It was the darkest thing Emma's mother had ever done and the only dark thing that had been right. Even now that Emma knew the history between her family and Regina's, killing Cora Mills was no evil thing to mourn.

If Mary-Margaret had been present and heard Emma's thoughts she would have scolded it. It was her mother's biggest regret, killing the evil enchantress. But given how many ways Cora hurt her daughter, both of them though Zelena didn't really count, Emma couldn't say she was upset.

So the fact that Will Scarlet of all people found Cora Mills' spellbook laying around the mayor's mansion for anyone to take was a clue. Somebody was present in the mayor's house and they were using dark magic. Emma pulled Will towards her so no one could read her lips.

"Who did you see, Will?" She asked.

"No one," Will replied and he looked just as panicked as she felt, "Not Robin or Regina. Not even Roland, Henry or the little tyke."

"Cora's missing too?" Emma asked though she couldn't fathom why she was surprised.

"Yeah," Will said, "And I'm bettin that wicked witch had everthin ta do with it."

Emma sighed. She had hoped her theory had been wrong. Now she was going to have to tell the good citizens of Storybrooke that their mayor was now missing too. That was going to set them in a panic that even her magic wouldn't be able to stop. So she took a deep breath and prepared herself for the onslaught.

Only then did the doors burst open, magically unlocked.

Regina Mills stood between the large oak doors, regally as ever. Her chocolate eyes were dark from distance and she stepped forward with calculation and disgust. She didn't even give the other citizens a glance as she continued to walk forward, her sharp stiletto heels click-clacking on the marble floor. Her sharp tailored suit hugged her every curve. The black pencil skirt flowed neatly to the knee and appeared not to hinder her movements. But her long hair was pinned away from her face, implying battle and coldness instead of warmth.

"Where is my son?" She asked.

Emma swallowed her worst fear finally confirmed. Henry was among the missing but her best friend was found. Really the citizens of Storybrooke didn't need to be alarmed. Their odds of survival had just increased tenfold.

"Regina," Emma began, "You're okay."

"I am not okay, Ms. Swan," Regina said.

A tiny niggling pressure began to form in Emma's spine. The sheriff felt her world's axis begin to teeter and change direction. Her breath filled with ice and her veins slowed in response. She swallowed absent-mindedly. Her thoughts mushed together in panic once more.

Regina Mills did not call her Ms. Swan.

"Imagine my surprise," Regina said. "When I woke up with my town just abuzz with rumors, rumors of children missing from their beds."

Well that definitely removed Regina from the list of suspects, Emma thought quickly.

She stepped back just a bit at the angry glare directed her way. She could feel the heat of it bouncing all around. Then the sheriff was surprised to realize that slight bubble of fire was not herself at all. Regina's magic was humming to life and it felt angry and far darker than it ever had before.

"Naturally I thought my child would never be among the missing," Regina said, "So I went to his room to investigate. He wasn't there."

Emma felt her heart stop at the second confirmation. Their son was lost with the other children of Storybrooke and they had no way to find them. Of course Regina's magic would be simmering around the air. She woke up in her house completely alone for the first time since the first curse was broken. She was probably just as panicked as the others.

"So I went to your apartment," Regina continued as if nothing was awry, "And low and behold Henry wasn't there either."

 _Apartment_? Emma thought suddenly feeling strange and feint.

"I don't live in an apartment…" she said.

"Don't interrupt," Regina hissed coldly, "It's rude Ms. Swan. Didn't your parents… oh right, you weren't raised by them."

The blow was an odd one and Emma felt her gut react immediately. David stepped forward and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. He even gave it a little squeeze to show his support. But his face was fixed in a permanent frown and Emma knew her own features mimicked his.

Her gut gurgled violently while a chill began to climb her spine. She could even feel sweat dripping all over her body. A harsh feeling of unease was settling into her bones. It didn't help that the fiery anger of Regina's magic was only increasing in its burn.

"As I was saying," Regina said, "Henry was nowhere to be found which can lead me only to one conclusion. Where are you hiding him, Ms. Swan?"

The accusation was a stab to the gut for Emma. She couldn't control her flinch as the mayor's sharp tongue hit her hard. The sweet sting of tears assaulted her eyes but she blinked them back furiously. She stepped forward, a wobble more like despite her best efforts, and calmly leapt from the stage to face the mayor head on.

"Regina," Emma said, "Listen. I know you're upset…"

"You have yet to see me upset, Ms. Swan," Regina said.

She was smiling now Emma was scared to note. And the way her lips parted to show her white teeth was not a happy one. The smile didn't even reach her eyes in its plastered on appearance. The white hot burn of Regina's magic was starting to slam into Emma with every step forward she took. But Regina's chocolate eyes were wrong. There was no light, no hope. They were simply dark.

"But we're going to find Henry," Emma said.

A gasp filled the crowd as they finally seemed to realize the reason for Regina's entrance. An angry whisper started to develop amongst them, hypothesizing possibilities and outcomes of all the children and loved ones gone. But Emma stayed strong as she stood in front of Regina.

"Do not lie to me, Ms. Swan," Regina said.

She began to raise her hands into the air without even thinking about it. Emma could feel the burn of magic in the air. She felt her body shake in pain as she readied her own magic in response. It was the first time since the mayor appeared that the sheriff understood what before she could not.

She was scared.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Henry Mills was one excited teenager. That was the best way Robin could describe him. The sixteen year old was practically vibrating with enthusiasm as they continued to walk down the street. Roland, naturally, was just as happy. He held onto Henry's hand and joined him in skipping up ahead.

Cora simply cooed in her little baby carriage. Regina had told him it was called a stroller but simply laughed when Robin made the argument that the stroller resembled a carriage more than anything else. Cora even looked like the princess she was as she happily bounced on the street with her brothers.

Robin found himself smiling at the little dimples on her cheeks. Her blue eyes and nose were exactly like his and if not for the damned red hair popping up on her crown, he could almost pretend she was his and Regina's. Instead poor Cora was born from her sister in a messy situation that only recently calmed.

Robin shook himself before he went down the dark road of Cora's conception. Despite how she came to the world, Cora was Regina's little princess. Zelena no longer had any claim of parental rights and Cora was none the wiser at only one and a half years old. Besides, Regina would kill him if he so much as ever thought of those six weeks with Zelena.

Yes Robin Hood was content to finally have something right in his life once again. Regina Mills was testy woman yes, but she was his soulmate and nothing would stand in their way. Which was why he didn't argue with her suggestion of a playdate between Cora and Neal. Yes they were merely infants but it was important for children to interact with other children their age. And considering Regina's past and Cora's birth mother there weren't too many options for playdates. So to the Charmings their whole brood would go for a quiet night in the mayor's mansion.

"Hey Mom."

Robin looked up to see Henry smiling at his own birth mother. The savior was busy kicking and grumbling at her car before taking note of the two boys laughing at her. She returned her son's smile and quickly walked over to give him and Roland hugs.

"Hey," she said, "What's up?"

"Mom said that you were going to teach me how to drive today," Henry replied eagerly, "I even brought my permit."

Emma and Robin both laughed rather nervously. Neither were comfortable with the teen learning how to drive though for different reasons. Regina had been absolutely adamant that her son would not learn to drive in the yellow bug she claimed, a metal coffin. So it was a surprise to both that Henry would even be allowed to talk about driving it.

"I was just about to go pick you up so we can take your mom's care when the engine decided to stop working for me," Emma said, "Maybe later."

Henry frowned and Robin couldn't help but follow suit. He didn't know why but there was a strange feeling bubbling in his stomach. Cora picked up on it, naturally. She started fussing so Robin went to work cheering her back up. So it was only with half-listening ears that he keyed into the conversation above him.

"Mom said she wanted me to learn the bug," Henry said, "So that way I would be able to drive it when the curse hit."

"Huh," Emma said, "She didn't tell me that."

"Well if you want I can ask her," Robin said smoothly enough, "I'm just dropping Roland and Cora off with your parents for a playdate. She'll be by as soon as she's finished grabbing her paperwork from the office."

As soon as he said it, Robin knew his words were wrong. His stomach dropped and his heart stopped. He could feel a sudden need for air and his hands shook in reply. Emma in turn gave him a look of utmost confusion and grabbed Roland's hand. Silently the adults moved towards the Charmings' loft with every anticipation of having their fears put to rest.

Hook, of course, chose that time to appear. He was dressed in slacks and the common attire suited for Storybrooke. He traded his leather jacket and cotton shirt for a regular windbreaker and black t-shirt. Gone too were his leather pants in exchange for a pair of jeans and work boots.

"Emma," Hook smiled, "Well aren't you a wonderful sight for sore eyes. I was just about to call you on that phone thingy."

"Really?" Emma asked, "Why?"

"Your parents are heading out on a date and asked me to baby-sit," he said, "I figured that would work well to give us a nice quiet night in. Plus I have no idea how to take care of magical children."

"Magical children?" Emma said.

"Aye," Hook said, "Regina texted me saying she and Robin were going on a double date with your parents tonight. She figured it would be good practice for us and prattled on. I tuned her out a bit to be honest."

Robin and Emma exchanged worry glances this time. Henry, the ever observant son, did not fail to notice. He was the one who pushed through the door of his grandparents loft without even knocking. The couple was already giggling in the kitchen when their family entered. They looked like two deer caught by a hunter, pots and pans surrounding them.

"Hey," Charming said, "We didn't know you guys were coming over."

"We would have made more pasta," Snow finished with a grin.

Their grins fell when Robin and Emma both exchanged worried glances once more. Together they started pounding away at their phones. Robin tried calling only to get no answer. He watched as Emma growled into her phone.

"What the hell, Gold?"

Her face grew even more serious and frightened as she listened to the voice on the other end. She violently jammed her finger into the phone and then proceeded scrolling through it. Whatever she found simply made her more and more agitated with every breath.

"You're not going on a date tonight," Hook said, frowning.

His phone started making an odd beeping sound. He pulled it out, scowling just as Emma was. He then handed it to his girlfriend's son and demanded answers of the young lad.

"It's been making that sound all day and I don't know how to stop it," he said.

Henry pulled out the phone and rolled his eyes. But he was polite and careful as he clicked the buttons on it and began to open a new window.

"It's a text from, grandpa," he said, "my other grandpa. He says that Rothbart found the last ingredient and he sent it at… an hour ago?"

Emma cursed and bolted from the apartment. Hook was never far behind and Robin found himself running to keep up. When outside, he was stunned to find Emma staring at the back of her car and a mass of confusing red parts underneath. The only thing out of place was the silver glowing vial attached to the giant rectangle in the middle.

"She and Jefferson found the last ingredient," Emma growled, slamming the hood shut.

"She must have erased our memories after we put it on," Hook said.

"Why would she do that?" Henry asked, "That's a good thing, right?"

Robin's heart fell from his chest and found home in his stomach. He looked up only to see Emma with the same expression on her face. Together they both moved as one to the front of her car. She pulled his bow out and he took it without question.

"I know where she's heading," Robin said.

"So do I," Emma replied, "Killian and I will distract her."

She grabbed Hook and immediately disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Robin turned in time to see Charming already carrying his sword and gun. Snow stood behind him, no weapon in hand. Henry was holding his sister's stroller and his brother's hand. All three stared at him for their orders.

"Henry I'm afraid you're going to have to watch your uncle and siblings," Robin said, "David, get my men. Snow…"

"Go," she replied, "I'll inform the others that the curse is on its way. Henry will meet us at the hospital in fifteen minutes. Regina's protection spell should buy us some time."

Robin merely nodded and raced across the street and into the woods. He kept his eyes forward and focused on the stubborn, ridiculous woman he loved most. Then he closed his eyes and allowed his heart to pull him there.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma was not exactly a huge fan of magical fights. She always felt lacking in some way or another. It was one of the reasons she appreciated everything Regina taught her. When push came to shove, Regina Mills was the strength she needed to keep on fighting and push herself further than ever before. Their friendship gave her someone who not only loved her, but understood her flaws and was willing to exploit them so they could overcome them together.

So, needless to say, being pushed by an explosion of fire by said best friend was not a pleasant experience. Emma felt like her whole head was about to explode but she still found the strength to stand back up and face her opponent. Regina was a maelstrom all her own.

The mayor simply flashed a pearly white smile and increased the heat of her next attack. Lightning rolled off of her fingertips and incinerated the giant marble statue she spent three months working on. Emma would have normally made a snappy joke about wasting the taxpayer's money so easily. But her heart wasn't in the fight nor for the lovely reminder of how far gone the mayor seemed to be. So Emma concentrated on her instincts and a pretty powerful white shield began to surround her.

"Well, well, well," Regina said, "I see somebody has been practicing. Has Rumpelstiltskin taught you the most valuable lesson of all? Magic always comes with a price!"

She accented this little statement with a whirlwind of fireballs. Unfortunately for Emma, and the citizens of Storybrooke, she was not the target. Fireballs encircled the crowd and targeted people at random. Pews and books were caught in the fray, victims to the burns meant for the humans around them.

Emma had to think quickly in order to stop the madness from spreading. She concentrated on her perfect shield and begged it to stretch among the masses. She couldn't help the swell of pride as she watched her light magic envelop each and every fireball in its path. Her magic spread throughout the room until all fire was out and lives were no longer in danger.

Regina looked around at the magic with mild annoyance. A dark scowl appeared on her blood-red lips. She quickly chewed at her bottom lip, a nervous habit she could never break herself of. She flipped her hands over and concentrated on the rage inside. Emma barely had time to even steel herself for the next onslaught. She raised her hands and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the next step of their fight.

But the fire never came. Green eyes opened to find Little John's giant hand latching onto the tiny arm of the mayor. He swung Regina to face him and growled at her scowling image. Then he spouted of his words like they were a venomous rage on his tongue.

"That's enough, Regina!" He said.

Regina's face didn't even pale at the implication. She just wrenched her arm out of his thick grasp and stared at him with angry eyes. She stepped back, her gaze cold and calculating. Her hands found home on her hips. Her right foot started tapping and she unleashed her own special brand of poison.

"It's your majesty," she said, "show some respect."

She gave him another once over, looking far less impress the second time around. She gave a disgusted gasp and her nose curled as if in disgust. She wiped off her arm and snarled at the large man before her.

"Or at least some restraint at the buffet," she finished coldly.

Little John, thankfully, was no push over. He once again invaded the mayor's personal space. He slammed his giant stomach into her own and latched onto both of her arms in dismay. He pulled her roughly towards them, gazing into her eyes with hope and fear.

"Robin and Roland are missing," he said.

Emma felt the confirmation like a bullet to her chest. Ice started filling her senses as yet another list of family members became real. She felt her heart break and knew then why the mayor was acting so ridiculous. She stepped forward cautiously, ready to provide comfort to her friend when no one else would be allowed.

Her steps came to a halt however when the mayor spoke next.

"Who?"

Emma watched in confused horror as Regina pushed the giant man away. She started rubbing herself as if cleansing herself of his dirt and germs. The mayor shook her head violently and turned an angry gaze the sheriff's way.

"Robin," Emma said though her voice was too small and broken to be certain, "Robin Hood…"

"Robin Hood?" Regina looked confused at the mere mention of the name.

But soon recognition took hold. A bright, calculating, cold smile etched itself onto her warm olive features. Chocolate eyes turned devilish towards the large man in front of her. She stepped towards him, her heels clicking harshly on the marble.

"The infamous outlaw," she said, "He's missing and you think I'll… what exactly? That I'll forget about my own son and see to your needs? That I'll just drop everything to search for some peasant who deserves to be strapped to a slab and flogged to death for all to see."

Her chocolate eyes glowed in hunger of the blood, Emma was forlorn to see. The sheriff stepped forward just as Regina's hand reached out to touch the giant man's beard. Her fingers curled with light magic and smoke started to encircle Little John's mouth.

"I don't care if he's dead," she said, "It's a punishment he more than deserves to bear."

She tugged on his beard and lowered his face so they were mere inches apart. Her voice was a harsh blade on the ears of all who listened. Still the mayor did her best to send her sinister voice into an even lower range, her tongue the true weapon at her disposal.

"I want my son and the rest of you can burn!"

She accented this statement by sending Little John through the nearest window, cackling all the while. She smiled when a few brave souls threatened to take the very breath from her lungs. But she merely raised her eyebrow as Emma came charging towards her, gun in hand.

"Let me make myself very clear, Ms. Swan," Regina said, "Give me my son… or suffer the consequences."

Another string of fire bounded from her hands. It encircles the crowd until they were all screaming as one unit in a corner. The merry men all merely stared at their chosen queen, different variations of horror on their features. David and Killian both stepped forward with swords drawn and confusion on their faces. They kept looking to Emma for any sign of what they were supposed to do.

And the walls of the town hall went up in flames. Smoke filled the lungs of all and Regina simply laughed at the chaos she brought. This woman, the imposing figure of madness standing in the middle for all to see, was not Regina Mills.

This was the Evil Queen.

"Death," Regina stated as coolly as she could, "is nothing compared to what I can do."

With that she let loose another cackling sound. Lightning and fire collided over her head. And the queen disappeared in a swirl of purple and black smoke. She left behind her heavy flames and the screams of the citizens of Storybrooke.

David and Killian were the first to reach Emma when the queen disappeared. Killian grabbed the sheriff's hand and David pulled her into a hug. Together they watched as Regina's flames continued to burn up the walls and the people were forced to flee for their lives. Soon only the dwarves, the merry men, Mother Superior, and few brave souls were left in the aftermath.

"Please tell me that was just an overreaction," Leroy demanded promptly.

Emma simply shook her head, too shocked and rattled to even breathe.

"Perhaps she's just in shock," Killian suggested.

It was not Emma who put all excuses to rest with a simple shake of the head. David Nolan stepped forward and continued to hold his little girl tight to his chest. He gently kissed the top of her head causing her green eyes to move to him. He gave her a look of sincere sorrow as he cupped her cheek.

"No," he said.

Emma closed her eyes and ignored the prickling feeling developing in the back of her eyes sockets. She took a deep breath and nodded right along with him. Her worst fears how now been more than confirmed. They had been taken all the way to their breaking point and shoved off the edge of a cliff. Emma Swan's family was cut completely in half.

And her best friend was evil once again.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma extinguished the fire surprisingly quickly for still being relatively new with magic. She felt stronger too. The stressful situation didn't seem to have taken as much out of her. She found herself still full of energy despite putting in extra hours to heal anyone who had been burned or otherwise injured. The plague of people had dispersed without a further fuss and for that Emma was grateful.

"So the Evil Queen has returned?" Little John asked, his confusion a mutual feeling through their small group.

"It does appear to be that way," Mother Superior was quick to reply, "I just wish we knew what triggered it."

"I think we all know the answer to that, love," Killian said, "her boys have gone missing and so has her true love. I don't even think she knows the difference between up and down right now."

The others simply nodded their heads in agreement but Emma could feel the doubt in her gut. The familiar twist and ache was one that told her there was more to the story. She could feel her brain begging her to work out the problem before her. She just couldn't quite see the puzzle pieces to connect them just yet.

And that was bothering her.

"It can't be that though," David said blessedly putting voice to her thoughts, "She has the resilient heart. She would be able to survive the initial shock of waking up to find them gone. Look at all she's been through so far."

"Aye," Killian agreed, "but what if she wasn't like the rest of us? What if she actually saw what happened? We all know how she reacts to loss."

Emma felt her heart clench at the implication. This time she couldn't stop one lonesome tear from escaping her control. A warm finger quickly wiped it away and Emma found herself staring into apologetic blue eyes. Killian gave her shoulder a squeeze in apology and carried on as if he didn't just give voice to their darkest thoughts.

"For all we know Zelena could have control of her heart."

"But are we sure this is Zelena?" Emma couldn't help but ask.

It was the little niggling sensation in the back of her brain. Her gut even loosened its tight grip when she asked the question. There was no way they could be absolutely certain that the wicked witch was the one to blame of the disappearances. They only had a giant list of the missing and a very small list of possibilities.

 _And now Regina is back on the suspect list,_ Emma's dark mind couldn't help but point out.

The sheriff simply took another breath in hopes of relieving some tension. She turned to gaze at the giant clock tower above their library. She watched as the minute hand and hour hand stood proud and unmoved against the ever rising sun. Then she took notice of the time on the clock.

"8:15," she said, "Why does the clock tower say 8:15?"

When she turned an inquisitive stare her father's way, he simply laughed and looked like his old self again. He pulled her into a tight grip and shook his head at her.

"So much like your mother," he said.

Then he pointed to that damn tower and explained exactly what was so funny about it.

"That thing hasn't worked in years, Emma."

Emma frowned at his explanation. She remembered Henry telling her the same thing when she first came to Storybrooke six years ago. Time is frozen here, he had explained. Then, the moment Emma decided she was going to stay in Storybrooke, the clock tower moved for the very first time in twenty-eight years.

"When did it stop?" Emma was loath to ask.

Killian frowned at her question and casually scratched his head. He cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. Then a guilty smile fell upon his lips. He raised his eyebrows and gave them a dashing dance.

"I honestly don't remember, love," he said, "But I don't ever recall that thing working since I was brought to this bloody land."

Emma simply nodded at their explanation but she couldn't fight the odd feeling. She knew those hands had moved when she first came to Storybrooke. She could even recall her frustration with how slowly things seemed to move when she had first arrived in the town. Now, things seemed to be almost at a standstill.

"Let's go investigate the disappearances," Emma announced with a bravery she did not feel.

She walked out towards her usual parking spot, keys already twirling around her fingers. She looked up at the clock tower one last time before ignoring it in favor of her favorite vehicle in all the world. She stopped walking as soon as the bright yellow truck came into view.

An image in the back of her mind told her something was wrong. She couldn't understand what it was though. The truck had been a gift to her, one August had bestowed when Neal couldn't. Neal even had the vin of her first stolen car cleaned so she could drive it without fear of going back to prison. Sure August took the money that was meant to be hers, but the real prize was Henry and all the memories they had in that stupid little truck.

"Aye, Swan," Killian said already standing at his rightful place by the passenger door, "Let's get a move on. We've a giant mystery on our hands and a curse to break. There's only enough time during the day."

"Coming," Emma said.

She made it approximately three steps to the driver side door before an idea struck her, an impossible idea. She was so excited by the mere thought of it that she giddily burst forth into her truck without even pausing to explain why she was smiling like a fool. The key went into the ignition and she pulled into gear with fervor.

"Aye Swan," Killian grumbled when he took notice that they were indeed not following her father as originally intended, "Where the bloody hell are you taking us?"

Emma smiled as she replied, "Henry's castle!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Purple smoke faded away until nothing was left but the hospital's glass doors. Robin and Emma moved as one with the barely conscious Regina tight in their grasp.

"No!" Regina screamed, trying to pull away with all her might.

"It's okay, Regina," Emma said, "Everything's going to be okay."

"No," Regina said, "I can still stop it, Emma. We still have time."

She screamed in pain alerting everyone to their presence. Some of the citizens even stood up in worry as they watched their queen wheeled in on a wheelchair. Grumpy came and quickly handed over a bouquet of flowers before he and the other dwarves rushed out to fight in the impending battle.

"No Regina," Robin said, "We're much too late for that."

"No," Regina seemed too far away to truly be aware of her senses, "I can stop it. I can save us all!"

Another scream ripped out of her throat just as Henry and Roland peered from around the corner. Both boys rushed to be by their mother's side but a firm giant hand prevented them from making the journey. Little John shook his head and pushed the boys back a safe distance.

"Not now, Lads," John said, "Your mother needs a doctor."

"Doctor Whale!" Emma screamed with all her might.

The blond doctor appeared with his crew of nurses. They all were all armed with their healing weapons. They took the queen without hesitation and immediately started bombarding her with comforting words and orders of operation.

"I need the bp as soon as you can get it to me," Whale ordered of his staff.

Robin held his soulmate's hand until they made it to the E.R. doors. He was loath to undo his tight grasp, needing one more moment to gaze on his wife. But Snow White's delicate hand kindly plucked his calloused, stubborn fingers away. She gave him a tight smile and said,

"I'll take care of her."

Then they both disappeared into an unknown world full of doctors and nurses and other mysteries to later behold.

"Why was there so much blood?" Henry, naturally, was quick to ask.

He and Roland wore twin looks of fear. Cora, their darling baby sister, cried out in her crib. It was as if she too knew the state of their mother and the horrors she was forced into. Robin quickly moved to comfort his youngest child. A few light kisses and a whimpering wet smile graced her little cheeks. He looked up and gave both of his sons a giant hug.

"Your mother is fine," he promised them with all the honesty he possessed, "But she needs you to be brave right now."

Both boys nodded and Robin was about to say more. But Grumpy's voice boomed around the corner and gave them all the news they desperately hoped to leave behind.

"The curse is here!" Grumpy said, running as he spoke. "The curse is hear and that bastard sent his guards to do his dirty work."

Emma and Robin shared twin looks of doom. Together they readied their weapons, her gun and his bow. Then they nodded as one unit and bounded down the hall to the front gates. Robin was pleased to find his men already standing at attention, their various weapons ready and aimed at the prize.

"Remember men," Robin shouted out, "They may be shadows but they die like all men."

He watched as each member nodded. The dwarves raised their pickaxes and cheered to build up momentum. Emma tossed her gun to the pirate, her hands already glowing with white magic. Charming was the only member of their band not currently present. He and Jiminy were with the children, armed to the teeth with guns, swords and knives. Mulan was not far from them should her and Red and Merida's assistance proved invaluable to protecting the kids.

"Aim for their heads, men," Robin cheered to his troops, "For they have no hearts!"

The men all cried out as one boisterous unit. They raised their weapons and kept their spirits high. Not a one of them were ignoring the red clouds simmering overhead. They just chose to focus on the black sprites zooming towards them with dangerous speed.

The first attack killed one of Charming's guards without a backwards glance. Two more men fell behind the cars, weapon clattering at their feet. But the inside of the hospital found to be more than just a wonderful battleground. Shadows popped up but none were left unawares.

The battle blazoned on with many a shadow taking the brunt of the force. Men and women alike were fighting side by side, downing shadow after shadow as if it were just another sport they shared. Emma's bright magic seared off more heads than Little John's scabbard while Friar Tuck's axe felled twice as many as that. Will Scarlett was even able to bob in and out of the fight, reporting on the whereabouts of their armies throughout the infirmary's stronghold.

Robin's quiver was nearing its end of arrows. The magical charm Regina put on it long since exhausted by Rothbart's casting of the curse. He felt Emma's magic, a lighter touch than his soulmates and not nearly as warm, cascading around to give him a bit of a surplus. His hand fell on the last brush of feather and he was forced to let it loose into the head of a shadow that wanted just little piece of Emma's blonde head.

"I'm out," he called to the savior at his side.

He ducked out of the way of a rather large black axe and managed to find one of his own arrows protruding from a nearby wall. He grabbed that and had the imposing shadow guard ripped from his head with an arrow between the eyes.

"We need to fall back," Emma said, breath heaving in the onslaught.

Another close call and Robin could finally see the thick gleam of sweat along her forehead. He used his thieving ways to pull a gun from one of the many bodies littering the floor. He tossed it to her without a second thought and started using his bow as a sword.

"I couldn't agree more," he said.

He and Emma cut through the shadow guards like knives through butter. They found themselves face to face with their children and dodging the shadows with increasing alarm. Henry now held a sword in his hands and Roland was using his little bow. Together they surrounded Cora, tightly tucked in the maintenance closet and safe behind her brother's hold. The young prince Neal sat crying in his stroller, a magical white shield surrounding his and Cora's strollers.

Charming and Jiminy were on one side of the hall battling the vicious demons with Will and couple dwarves. Mulan worked together with Merida to dismember the shadows coming towards the young princes and princess. Merida's quiver was looking irritatingly low and her spathe already drawn. Red the werewolf was tearing off the heads of anybody who dared come close to her charges, Henry and Roland pinching off any she or the others might have missed or overlooked.

Emma pulled her hands together in a thick clasp and closed her eyes in concentration. A white pulse emitted from her grasp and covered the entire floor in its glory. The Shadows fell into ash at the force of happiness she created, buying them some much needed time.

"We need to regroup," Charming said.

He and Will raced towards the children in breathy heaves. Jiminy struggled to keep up with them. Mulan threw a red cape over the wolf. A brunette woman appeared with glistening brown eyes and ruby red lips. She quickly wiped her mouth of the black ash and nodded towards Emma in thanks of the break.

"There's no way we can hold them off for much longer," Emma said, "The curse is coming and there's no way out."

"We've failed?" Will asked seemingly stunned by the mere idea of it.

"Not yet," Robin promised, "But we may have bought ourselves time."

"Just not enough time," Emma replied sadly.

Her green eyes landed on the son she shared with the queen. Henry immediately fell into her embrace and Roland was quick to follow. Charming grabbed Cora and Neal, holding them like precious cargo in his arms. Red, Mulan and Merida each grasped each other's arms in solidarity.

"Get to Regina," Robin ordered without a doubt of leadership, "We will end the fight there."

Everyone nodded and rushed to follow-through. But they soon found that it was easier said than done. The ashes of fallen shadows started to grow back into solid figures. Their boneless bodies took shape and black guards blocked their path.

"Go," Charming said, "We will find you."

Emma and Robin hesitated only for moment before they both started running through the double doors. Her magic shielded them from any harm while his bow drove the shadows' heads out of sight. Together they worked until they cleared themselves a path; hope the only thing in their hearts.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma barely had the truck in park before she was racing out towards the stupid playground. She was disappointed to find herself the only figure standing in the deep warmth of the woods. But she kept her spirits and thoughts light, racing towards the metal bars of the highest tower with everything she had.

"Henry!" She called, "Henry, come out!"

She called and called for her teenaged son. She climbed every inch of the castle begging for him to return to her. She raced down his favorite slide and climbed up his favorite rope. Then she easily ran through the obstacle course the playground castle had become. Still no sign of her son was there and hope began to run away from her heart.

"Slow down Swan," Killian begged from her truck, "The lad's not here."

Emma hung her head in defeat swallowing down the bitter truth. She felt herself encased in Killian's arms, tears stinging in fear for her son. She buried her head in the pirate's leather jacket. She could feel his fingers dancing in her hair, comfort always following.

"Henry's a smart boy," Killian told her, "Do you really think he would go somewhere the Evil Queen would look?"

"No," Emma nodded in agreement, "He would come to me and beg me to fix it, to save her."

"Aye," Killian said, "because that Henry of yours is a smart lad and he gets it from both of his mothers. If he could, Swan, he'd get us a message of where he is. We just have to give him time."

Emma took in her pirates words and tried not to think of anything too horrible to come. She focused on the soothing sounds of the not too distant ocean and the birds flying above. She could feel the warm summer breeze fluttering through the trees. And she felt safety in the arms of her true love.

"Come Swan," Killian said solemnly, "We'll find the lad. We just can't give up."

Emma nodded and gave the castle playground one last longing look. She smiled when Killian grabbed her hand. With a gentle squeeze they began the trek back to the parking lot and her wonderful yellow truck. Just as Emma Swan was about to get in she stopped. She looked back at the castle and thought.

 _I will find you, Henry. I will always find you._

And with that thought in mind she turned the ignition and put it in gear. Her yellow truck pulled away from the lonely sight and didn't even pause to look back. Memories of her first meeting with her son were still fresh in her mind.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin was the first to enter the hospital room. Bloody rags decorated every inch of the tiny room only to be covered by the wretched screaming of the queen.

"It's alright, Regina," Whale cooed, "Just a little bit longer and the pain will be gone."

The few words out of her lips were not repeatable in any fashion. Had their children been present he would have covered their ears and eyes. As it was his nerves were already beating down on his hope. He could feel the hot sticky tears of fear weighing heavy on his eyes. He moved immediately to his wife's side, kissing her knuckles gently.

"We can't stop the bleeding," Whale's voice whispered through the air.

Robin heard Emma give a not too friendly reply. He was certain it was angry and just as sassy as Regina usually made things to be. He probably would have chuckled at it. But his eyes were glued to the sweat gleaming on Regina's face. Her chest heaved with short sharp breaths and little room for anything else. Her cheeks were far too pale and she kept looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.

"Hi," she said.

Robin chuckled and mumbled out an equally ridiculous reply.

"Hi," he said.

Regina gave him a stubborn smile and delicate arched her left eyebrow in challenge to his fright.

"You made it just in time."

This time, his chuckle turned into a tortured sob. He gently swept some hair away from her eyes and swooped in for a passionate kiss that would rival Snow White and her precious Prince Charming. Together their lips hungrily ventured toward each other never pausing in their need to be together once more.

They separated only when she couldn't contain the pain any longer.

"Not much longer, Regina," Snow White's delicate voice floated through the air.

Regina pulled her right hand up and gently squeezed the fingers caught in her grasp. Robin followed the hand to find a tiny framed woman in plain clothes attached to it. He gazed into lovely green eyes filled with so much sorrow and absolutely no hope. Her short black hair was a stubborn contrast to her snow white skin.

Snow smiled sadly towards him seemingly unaware of the cloud of red smoke bursting from behind her. She did duck when the glass shattered. She bowed forward to protect her stepmother just as Robin did the same. Together they shielded the queen from any harm, disappearing in a swirl of red madness and screaming cries from all around.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Nobody noticed as the lonesome figure stepped out of her car. People were too far away to even notice as she walked towards a seemingly random spot in the middle of the road. They couldn't hear the light click of her high-heeled boots. Nor were they able to see her tight skinny blue jeans. She was all alone and that was how she wanted to be.

The lone figure raised two perfectly manicured hands high above her head. Her green leather sleeves inched up her arm enough to reveal the golden bracelet on her wrist, a swan taking flight glittering in the moonlight. Her grey tank threatened to expose the muscles of her tight, taught stomach. But she ignored the distractions one and all in favor of the task at hand.

Her fingers tingled as she felt the air all around her. A cool happy caress began to cover her hands. She could feel that soft touch scoot higher and higher until a spherical took shape in her mind's eye. She smiled to herself in satisfaction and quickly retracted her hands.

 _Come now Emma_ , she thought, _you have to do better than that._

With a quick wave of her hands she felt the cool white magic disperse under her touch. She smiled happily as her magic dissolves the protection shield without even pausing in its haste. She didn't watch her magic work as she used to. She simply walked back to the parked car in the middle of the road.

She sent a quick text before putting the car in reverse. A simple statement of phase one complete was all she needed to write. So it was no surprise that under the cover of moonlight nobody noticed her at all.

They didn't notice the yellow bug driving by a green roadside. They didn't notice her driving away from a spray painted red line. They didn't even notice her dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. Because the citizens of Storybrooke were too busy fretting over the loss of their children to notice the lonesome stranger passing by their townline.

Her phone buzzed but she didn't pick it up. She was driving and wanted to live now that the first part of her mission was finally at an end. So she didn't notice that her phone read:

Welcome to Storybrooke!

And the clock tower hands moved once again.


	3. The Curse to End All Curses

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Once Upon a Time and this stands for all chapters both past and future. **A/N:** Each chapter will be posted around the same time each week since its written in episodic form. If you want a sneak peek of the next chapter feel free to PM and I will get it to you in a nice, orderly fashion. Any and all critiques are welcome but if you aren't literate in your review expect snark in return. Thank you and enjoy._

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Belle was busy doing what she always did, reading. She had discovered quite recently that among Merlin's books was a pile of prophecies made by the powerful sorcerer himself. Among them Belle was hoping to find a clue to the newest threat. Unfortunately everything she read kept coming up empty.

"Still reading I see."

Belle jumped at the sound of her husband's voice. So lost was she in her studies that she failed to feel the familiar twinge on the air her husband's magic made. Rumpelstiltskin was not a well-liked man. But he always did his best to show her the world despite the darkness inside his heart. The curse of the Dark One forced him to do many unspeakable things even when he fought for control, and Belle was always reminded just how hard he fought to be a good man for her.

"Sorry," Rumple said, "Didn't mean to startle you. I probably should have come in the non-magical way."

Belle laughed. She quickly shook her head and raced into his awaiting arms. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, sighing happily.

"No," she said, "I needed a break anyway."

Her husband smiled and allowed himself the moment to kiss her again. He pulled her closer to his chest and hummed in approval. He was allowing happiness and love to take over his heart and the moment and Belle couldn't be prouder.

"Any progress," he asked.

Sadly that happy bubble Belle felt had burst. Her mind once again returned to the dark thoughts of Lord Rothbart's threat and the impending curse that was sure to follow. She watched as her husband's eyes turned to those very books that caused such sorrow. He sighed in perfect harmony with her.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance," he said.

The doubt and fear of his words brought up painful memories of not too long ago. Belle shook her head. Her husband was many things but he was never good at ignoring temptation. His strengths were best served elsewhere.

"Regina cursed it specifically so you couldn't read them," she reminded gently.

Rumple simply nodded his head, shrugging minutely. He then spoke, his voice like a whip on the wind, of his own thoughts on the matter.

"I could always break them. I'm sure with the right force the lines of magic would simply snap at my Dark One charms."

Belle laughed nervously, hoping it really was just a joke. But Rumple was keenly observant and his eyes had already lost their sparkling light of good. His black eyes closed, Belle feeling something new and dangerous in the air. Quickly her gaze fell on Merlin's books, glowing with magic so bright Belle had to move her hand to shade her eyes from the burn. The Dark One's eyes burst open, the book's glow faded and Rumple hissed in pain.

"Then again," he replied in a scratchy voice, pride thoroughly wounded. "Perhaps the students has finally surpassed her teacher."

Belle gave him a stern look and regrettably removed herself from his arms. Her hands found home on her waist and that sharp tongue of hers took form.

"Rumple," she warned.

Her husband had the good sense to raise his hands in surrender. His palms were splayed out elegantly, bright red burns marring his skin. The anger disappeared into panic as Belle stared at the unusual markings.

"Rumple," she said, "your hands."

She took them into her own and examined them closely. The skin was completely broken. Tiny pools of blood slowly dipped from the surface. It was a sight unusual when considering the source. One of the many perks of being the Dark One was that Rumpelstiltskin was immortal and thus impervious to wounds.

"Relax," Rumple said, "It's an easy fix."

But it wasn't. Belle watched with a mixture of awe and horror as his palms glowed black with magic. The skin started stitching itself back together only to open up anew. This time more than just a few droplets were falling to the floor.

"Surpassed and schooled the teacher," Rumple said, "Her light magic has taken on a life of its own now."

Belle grabbed a towel in time with the chiming of the bell hanging above the store's door to announce a new customer. Rumple's pawnshop was a bit useless when looking for something to stop a curse, but it was ideal for its privacy and lack of patrons. So the chiming of the bell coinciding with her husband's magical mishap was not a coincidence no matter how much Belle wished it to be so.

Belle left her husband dabbing away at his injured hands to see who their visitor could be. Emma Swan, complete with red leather jacket and sheriff's badge gleaming, wore a very determined scowl on her face as she moved towards the back of the store.

"He tried to read one of the books," the savior grumbled in greeting, "He promised us he would let you work and he just-"

"Emma," Rumple said in greeting.

His towel was soaked with the wretched blood. He smiled ever cordially at the blonde, despite the pain Belle knew he had to be in. She quickly placed a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder. He, in turn, presented his red-handed betrayal.

"I was merely trying to prove a point to Belle," he said, "and I believe I have punished myself quite effectively."

Emma didn't even blink at the damage. She simply held her hands over the wounds, her light magic taking over. The minutes dragged by as a warm white glow enveloped every inch of blemish on her husband's hands. The savior was perfectly calm and confident as she stitched his gaping skin closed.

"Thank you," Rumple said, "I tried but-"

"Regina made certain that spell would deter you," Emma replied.

She had somehow started fidgeting with her jacket as if wiping off the blood. She shrugged her shoulders and pulled her blonde locks back into a quick and easy ponytail. Her green eyes pierced an angry scowl into Rumple's.

"She even wove a few spells of my magic in there so I would know if you got involved," the savior finished petulantly.

Belle merely raised an eyebrow at the sheriff's tone. There was still much hostility left between them from several years of Rumple's darkness destroying their trust. Even though Emma had once been the Dark One, however brief the time, their understanding of each other never quite made the leap into friendship. One of the reasons the heroes trusted Belle with so much was the sheer fact that she and only she could keep Rumple from truly giving in to the darkness completely.

"Is that why you're here instead?" Belle asked, hoping the change in subject would cool the filling tension in the room.

"Regina's booked with meetings so I'm on magic duty while Robin, Hook and Dad work the legal side of things," Emma said.

She even sounded like she was pouting.

"Robin is now a deputy?" Rumple asked and Belle just knew he had a witty retort on the tip of his tongue.

She quickly silenced him with a look and turned towards the savior. The blonde's lips were tilted up slightly and her green-eyed gaze shot to her feet as soon as she noticed Belle's stare. The sheriff clearly found it amusing that the big scary Dark One could be so easily chastened. Belle had to bite her lip to fight her own amusement.

"Forest Ranger," Emma said, "Regina figured we needed one considering the giant forest and constant monster attacks. His camp being there helps too."

Rumple simply nodded unable to cope with small talk. Belle held in her smile and tried to make him suffer for a just a bit longer. But the savior was already making an excuse to leave and Belle had to take advantage while she still could.

"Emma," she said, "If you wouldn't mind I was wondering if I could get my hands on a few more of Regina's books. There were a few references to spell I'm unfamiliar with that I would like to explore."

The blonde simply nodded her assent and rushed out the door. Rumple's look of shock was enough to bring the giggles out of the librarian. She covered her mouth ever so delicately and tried not to point out how similar the dark one and the savior truly were. She felt he would take it too personally.

"And what was the point of that?" He asked in exasperation.

"Well," Belle said, "I do believe we just proved that Regina is now more powerful than you. And that Emma still doesn't like you."

"No I was talking about the books," he said, "I thought you and Regina had already scoured those from cover to cover."

"We did indeed, yes," Belle said, "But I believe Merlin's given me something new to look into. I need to figure out which spells he's talking about so I can see what he's making in his notes."

"Ah," Rumple nodded, "Experimentation was one of his finer qualities."

Belle simply chuckled and went back to her studies, certain the answer to all their prayers was to be found in one of her beloved books.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Mr. Gold was having a perfectly wonderful morning. He could feel the sun's warm rays on his skin as he happily opened his shop's door. His wife, Belle, was going to get them coffee for the impending busy day. People were certain to show up looking for some of their things or possible gifts for their significant others. Even the unusually warm weather implied good things were ahead.

So Gold was a very happy man when he walked into his store and deposited his brand new fedora. Today his cane didn't sound quite as angry as it scraped upon the wooden floor. He could almost imagine his damaged leg walking normally.

"Happy day?"

The voice was soft and melodic on the air around him. Gold could almost bring a smile at the thought of good old times returning once more. But that voice, as gorgeous and welcoming as it seemed to be, was not one of mirth and cleverness. No, his visitor's voice held no warmth and forced chills to crawl up his spine.

A sense of doom filled the pawnbroker. He turned around to find himself facing a familiar figure dressed in designer black. Dolce and Gabbana clung to her in all the right places. Her white teeth were a stark contrast to the blood-red of her lips. But Mr. Gold calmly shrugged his shoulders, feigning indifference at the mayor's odd presence.

"Your majesty," he greeted easily enough.

Regina Mills only seemed to grow more imposing with the old title thrown her way. She didn't even blink at his scowling features. Nor did she seem privy to his cane's placement as he gently placed it on the glass counter between them. She simply stood in the darkest corner with a giant smile on her face.

"You didn't answer my question, imp," she said.

Gold didn't even bother to give her statement any thought. He simply shrugged his shoulders and made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat. He smiled at her just as greasily as ever and waited. She always made the first move in this little game of theirs. Now would be no different.

"Aren't you interested in why I'm here?" She asked.

"You always have a reason," he replied, "I expect now would be no different."

This time her teeth disappeared behind a much darker grin. Her eyes turned black with cold darkness. Her lips pulled upwards and grew thin as a line. She looked too much like the familiar cat that ate the canary, a Cheshire about to strike.

"Fair enough," she said, "I want to make a deal with you."

She stepped forward as if she owned the shop and was not merely a guest to it. She looked around at the growing objects, a lonesome finger inspecting for dust. She looked disgruntled at having found some and quickly wiped it away on one of his more expensive tapestries. Ordinarily he would charge her for such a tryst but his instincts were telling him not to bother, to beware.

"Unfortunately you have nothing I want," he said.

She laughed at that, her chuckle cold dark and very foreboding. She gave him another tight-lipped grin and shook her head. Her chocolate eyes still lacked their light and turned to him with danger. Regina seemed to believe she was in charge. Gold felt a rumble of despair deep within his gut.

"My son," Regina said getting to the point of her visit at last, "You're going to help me find him."

Mr. Gold felt his heart speed up at the tone of her voice. It was far too sharp, too demanding. He could feel fear curling in his stomach, twisting and turning to her every desire. But he kept his face cool, collected. He stayed as impassive as the god he once was.

He gave her the expected show. A knowing smile flashed across his features as he cattily stepped towards her as if an imposing being such as him couldn't be bothered with something so bland as her. He kept his eyes playful. His mask was held by the fear she dealt.

"And why would I do that?" He asked.

She looked bored with his questions. Her eyes barely stayed on his for more than a second. She was taking stock of his shop, acting as if she knew something he did not. He could feel the curiosity pulsing in the back of his mind.

"I know my mother bestowed a certain gift to you," she said, "a gift that allows you to find your blood no matter where in the world they are. Henry, being your grandson through some bizarre twist of fate, will be easy for you to find."

Gold's mind couldn't help but flash back to the mother so carefully mentioned. He could almost feel the familiar poison pulsing through his veins. He grimaced at the memory. So close to death and all because the savior's pirate wanted revenge for a lost love he no longer wanted. IF the sting of past deeds had not already been brought to conclusion, Gold would have gladly given the woman before him exactly what she wanted. But he was no longer in the business of making deals… with anyone.

"A simple prick of your finger and I will forever be in your debt," she said, "I will give you whatever you want. All you have to do is help me find my son."

"Unfortunately," Gold paused. He tried his best to not look at his strategically placed cane, millimeters from his hand. He said, "You have nothing I want."

Despite his answer she smiled. He couldn't help but frown in reply. He stepped back as she stepped dangerously forward. Her brown eyes narrowed as she spoke villainously.

"Oh I beg to differ."

Lightly her hand fell on top of his. Gold pulled up on his cane, swinging it forward with all the momentum he had. Regina, naturally, stopped it cold with her magic. Her hand grew tight around his wrist, nails digging in with harsh pressure. Her smile grew more manic and brown eyes dissolved completely into purple.

"Your hands are cold, Gold," she said, "Which can mean only one thing…"

Gold watched in horror as his cane disintegrated into dust right before his very eyes. His unsteady footing made her his only anchor into standing upright. Regina's heels clicked hard against the wood as she invaded his personal space with vigor.

"You have no magic," she explained.

Just as the revelation came to pass so too did another unfortunate incident. Belle, his lovely wife of only a few short years, picked that moment to enter the pawnshop. She managed to close the door fully before spilling coffee all over the floor beneath her feet. She stared in shock at the image of Regina holding her husband hostage before his glass counters.

"Regina!" Belle gasped.

That was all she could say. She became nothing more than a witness to the demise of her husband. Gold felt himself lift off the ground without his permission. He felt a flare of pain envelope his back and head with a thick snap. His eyes watered and blurred. He could feel his whole body slump forward before it was pinned painfully against whatever he hit.

Vicious vines violated every inch of his skin as they wrapped around, forcing him into immobility. His eyes cleared only when his neck was force back and his head tilted up. Somehow, he was now pinned to his shop's back wall. He watched as Regina squeezed her fingers in a choking motion. He felt his own throat restrict with maddening speed.

"Regina, stop!" Belle screamed.

Gold watched as his wife tried to pry the woman's arm away. Her magical grip on him was far too strong and he knew it. So it was with only defeated pain that he watched his wife fall victim to the vines as well. They twisted around her ankles, forcing her into a downward spiral to the ground. She groaned and moaned as she struggled against them.

"Why are you doing this?" Belle asked.

"Taking advantage of a rather glorious situation," Regina said, "It's not very often that you find Rumpelstiltskin powerless before you. Just think of many lives I will be saving. And you get the glory of being the only witness to his execution."

Gold felt his throat tighten even more. Water pierced his gaze and he struggled against his bondage. He could hear more than see Belle screaming for help. He could almost imagine the pain on her face. Years of hard work and perseverance were now coming to an ending.

 _Villains don't get happy endings, dearie_ , a wicked voice from the past filled his mind.

He was about to come up with a retort for the voice, a reminder of all he had finally accomplished. But a sudden loud chime filled the whole of Storybrooke. The vaguely familiar sounds of the clock striking the new hour tumbled over his ears.

Regina's reaction was worryingly instantaneous. Her hands went straight to her head and all of her magic seemed to stop. Gold found himself suddenly slamming into the ground, new pain spreading throughout his already beaten body. Somehow he found the strength to crawl forward just to see if Belle was alright.

A high-pitched scream filled the air just as he had Belle in sight. Glass started breaking from all directions. Magical objects came to life. Lights flickered on and off in sporadic movements. Gold watched in horror as every item in his shop began to unexplainably explode right before his very eyes. He ducked under his hands, praying his body would be protection enough.

Then, just as suddenly as everything had begun, everything stopped. Gold found himself cautiously looking up to the total devastation of his shop. His eyes found Belle first, hiding underneath a smoking chair and staring at the door in shock.

He followed her gaze and felt his own shock flow to the surface. Regina stood before them gasping, eyes wildly searching for something. The clock tower struck again signaling the nine o'clock hour of the day. Her head swiveled in the direction of the noise.

"Regina?" Belle gasped.

An almost serene image appeared on the woman's features. Gold felt his eyes growing wider and wider as he took in the odd look on her face. Regina smiled, this time something warm and glowing, and relaxed.

"The forest," she said, "he's in the forest."

And just like that she was gone in a flash of purple smoke, leaving Belle and Gold to simply stare after her and absorb the store's complete destruction.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Belle couldn't help but feel nervous. Prince Charming and his daughter Emma Swan were both staring at her hungrily. Blue and green eyes stared down at her as if she held every answer in the palm of her hand. Ordinarily this would be a moment when Belle would point out the familial similarities from the way their bottom lip pouted out with a gentle dent in the chin to how they both held their right hands in fists slammed onto the table. Instead she was forced to once again remind them of the impending darkness ahead.

"Rothbart's curse is certain," she said.

She watched as both daughter and father furrowed their foreheads, the same crinkle slivering down the middle and into their left eyebrow. She looked to her left and found Snow calmly biting her nails. Henry, the stubborn teen who absolutely refused to be left out of anything now that he was sixteen, was mimicking the biting of his nails and looking at her with wide brown eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

Belle nodded her head and watched as shadows danced across all pairs of eyes. The little family looked disappointed. She pulled out the book, landing on the page easily. She felt Henry's intake of breath as he leaned in for a closer look.

"I don't…" he began.

"It's in elvish," Belle said, "Merlin didn't want any unnecessary eyes on his prophecies."

"You speak elvish?" Emma asked, "Like lord of the rings? Is Middle Earth real too?"

"No," Belle laughed, "I'm afraid those are just stories."

She paused as her mind began to consider her words.

"So far as I know," she amended.

"What did I hear about rings?"

All eyes jumped up into a sea of ocean blue. Captain Hook stood between the kitchen and dining room, hand and hook raised in confusion. The bathroom door still stood firmly closed but no sound seemed to escape.

Belle chose that moment to truly observe Snow White and Prince Charming's small Storybrooke apartment. The bedrooms were splayed out behind and above the staircase on the left side of the apartment. The kitchen and dining room took up the rest. A tiny crib and living area took up the corner to the right of the door, baby toys and two tiny bodies nibbling away spilt on the floor. The tiny crook of a corner not decorate with space was the bathroom, two doors shut firmly.

Belle unconsciously found herself tugging at the sleeves of her sweater. Guilt flared through her at the expensive outfit covering her skin. She was wearing clothes that cost twice as much as the apartment alone.

"Or am I once again missing on something for something I am pretty certain I didn't do," Hook finished suave as ever.

"Belle was just talking about a prophecy," Emma said, "Weren't you supposed to be hanging out with Regina today?"

Hook's expression turned contrite. He looked down at his shoes guiltily. Belle rolled her eyes, already knowing what was popping out of his lips.

"She may have," he said, "given me the slip."

This time Henry was the one to bang his fist on the table. He immediately pulled out his phone and started dialing his mother's number. Emma, Belle was amused to find, was doing the exact same thing at her corner of the wooden table.

"No answer," Emma said.

"Same," Henry replied, "I can't believe she did this again. She promised."

"I could have told you this wasn't going to work had you just come to me with this absurd idea to begin with," Snow said, "Regina needs her space. We can expect her to just let us take over so easily. How do you think she became the Evil Queen in the first place?"

"To be fair being married to your father probably didn't help," Hook said.

"It doesn't matter," Belle said, "I've hit a dead end."

All bodies formerly moving frantically to grab whatever needed to be found for their next excursion stopped. Several identical frowns stared back at her. So Belle did what she always did. She pointed to the open page and the very passage she was talking about.

"I've told you everything I know," she said, "The dark curse will be cast, a sacrifice greater than any ever paid prior. The begging shall too be the end…"

"Riddles," Emma said, "Merlin was talking in riddles."

"But more specifically about the curse," Belle nodded, "He didn't want this falling in the wrong hands, Emma. Translating it from elvish alone will not be enough because…"

"Because what?" Henry said, "This has everything to do with Robin and my mom, right? What does it say about them?"

"I'm not sure," Belle said, "That's the problem. The specifics of the curse are in a language I have never seen before."

"So we're back to square one?" Emma asked.

"Not exactly," Belle said, "We just don't have any more information than the fact that the curse will be cast twice, and that it will need more than one sacrifice. I just need… Rumple."

"Gold?" Emma said.

"Are you serious?" Hook asked, "You want us to once again trust the crocodile?"

"We can't even trust Regina to stay put and she's on our side," Charming said, "Even with your help, Belle, can we truly trust him to do what needs to be done?"

"He helped us with the last two curses," Snow said, "I think we should give him a chance."

An intense silence filled the air. Belle could feel everyone weigh their options heavily. But she knew they would all come to the same conclusion she did. Still the reply was rather surprising.

"Done, but he can only read the book you tell him to and only on the specific page."

This time Belle joined in snapping her head in the voice's direction. Regina stood in the doorway, a heavy bulky stroller directly in front of her. A small mop of curly hair on her shoulder suggested Roland was napping away in her right arms, his stuffed monkey hanging precariously from his limp hand.

Belle could already hear the impending arguments coming. She could feel Emma already jumping to throttle the queen. So she picked up her book and calmly walked up to meet the older woman half-way.

"I understand," she said, "and I should have a translation for you by the end of the week."

Belle made it three steps down the hall before the explosion began.

"What the hell were you thinking, Regina?" Emma said, "We discussed this!"

"I brought the wrong stroller the first time around so I figured I'd just do a quick pop in and out," Regina said, "Besides I had to pick Roland up from daycare and the pirate wouldn't leave me alone long enough to breathe."

Thankfully the voices faded away when Belle made it outside. Then the book glowed with a bright white and purple light. She stared as a message appeared on the spine.

 _Be careful,_ Regina said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma was getting sick and tired of the constant dead ends. Two days and there was still no way of finding Regina, no signs of where the missing children could be. There wasn't even a sign of the missing children anywhere around town. No toys. No baby baskets. Even the nurseries were completely bare. It was as if no child had ever existed in Storybrooke at all.

"Emma, what's your status on your mother and Neal?"

The sheriff slammed her head into her desk a couple times, trying to make her head explode. When that didn't work she looked up to face her father. His blood shot blue eyes were filled with concern. He quickly placed his hand on her head, blue eyes searching for any sign of injury or harm.

"When was the last time you slept?" David asked.

Sometimes she hated him, but this was not one of those times. Instead she latched onto his hand and leaned into his touch. She quickly blinked away the bubbling emotions of an orphan no longer so. Then she allowed a small smile to fall on her lips.

"You know, Dad," she said, "I could technically ask you the same thing."

"Well half our family is either missing," David said, "I think we earned a few sleepless nights."

Emma opened her mouth to give a reply. She even knew what she was going to say and how to properly react to having a caring father. But timing, as it always was with them, turned against them.

Belle ran through the sheriff's station, blood dripping from her left arm. Only after she had successfully made it into the office did Emma notice she was limping. The sheriffs immediately jumped to their feet in alarm. David forced Belle into a chair while Emma fetched a bottle of water.

"What happened?" David asked.

"Regina," Belle gasped.

Emma looked towards her father worriedly. He looked just as upset. His face was bent with furrowed brow. Emma carefully sucked in her bottom lip, worrying away before asking the question she didn't want answered.

"Did she do this?"

She pointed to the blood on her arm. A tiny speck of glass was still sticking out for all to see. Belle simply nodded, swallowing back a few tears. She grabbed onto Emma's hand and squeezed it.

"I don't think she meant to hurt me," she said, "She was after Rumple."

Emma closed her eyes against an impending headache. She pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled slowly. Her father turned towards her already saying exactly what she was thinking.

"What did he do?"

Belle's frightened expression morphed into one of pure rage. She quickly raised her hand, palm opened wide for a wicked slap. The energy fizzled as more blood gushed from her wounds. She turned a saddened gaze on Emma and spoke of the tragedy quietly.

"He doesn't have his magic," she said.

David scoffed in doubt. He was still betrayed eighteen times too many to believe anything so remarkable even from Belle. But Emma could see the truth written plainly on the librarian's face. Gold was powerless and that meant Regina…

"What did she do?" Emma asked, afraid of the answer.

Belle's steady gaze fell to her entwined fingers. Her feet began to kick in and out from underneath her chair. Her lips pursed together as if afraid to voice the news. Then a calming breath took hold of her tiny form. She looked back up, blue-green eyes locking onto green.

"She tried to kill him," she said.

Emma jumped to her feet, grabbing her red leather jacket in the process. She was already pulling on her badge when the librarian's next words reached out.

"But she stopped when the clock tower rang," she said.

Emma felt her pulse quicken at the news. Her face felt flushed and she was certain her father's worried gaze was now directed her way. She turned to look at the brunette in fright. Her breath hitched at the concern on her face.

"The entire shop just started falling apart with every chime of the clock," Belle said, "and when the ringing finally stopped she mentioned the forest."

Emma's stomach dropped. David looked towards her with hope on his features. Both sheriffs were already thinking about what Regina Mills would want in the forest of Storybrooke. But their frightened gazes only found more concern when Belle spoke exactly what was on their minds.

"I think she's looking for Robin."

David quickly raced towards his desk and started pouring through the drawers. He pulled out a black bracelet and handed it to his daughter.

"Just in case," he said.

Emma nodded and immediately called Killian

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Regina Mills was not exactly an uncommon sight in the forest of Storybrooke. Often she was seen traversing its rough terrain for one purpose or another. Usually she was even accompanied by another body or two. Nobody dared judge her as she stepped in and out of the trees, at home in their shadows and cool breeze.

But today was not like any other day. Little John had simply heard a small snap of a twig and went in search of its source. And he found it in the form of the mayor making her way towards the Merry Men's camp as she had at least a thousand times before.

Little John kept his footsteps light and quiet as he watched her, taking in her every move like a calculated predator. He watched as she mechanically maneuvered around each and every one of their booby-traps. She didn't even seem aware of the direction she was headed, muttering to herself quietly about things he couldn't possibly understand.

So it was no surprise that Little John found his best friend's girl burrowing into his tent as if she owned the place. He even smiled as she did it. Quickly he picked up his pace. He waltzed into the tent with every expectation of seeing the woman he was growing to like staring back at him with a scowl on her cheeks and a scathing reply on her lips. He was not, however, expecting her to be maddeningly searching through the tent's contents as if life itself depended on it.

"Regina?" He asked.

The mayor turned on him with angry eyes. Her glare only seemed to intensify as recognition dawned on her fingers. She marched towards him venomously, demanding him to tell him everything.

"Where is he?" she asked.

Little John couldn't help but be confused. His brown eyes fell towards the toy held firmly in her left hand, a stuffed monkey grey and looking as if it had seen far better days. Regina took notice of his line of sight and raised the creature up as evidence.

"Where is my son?" She demanded desperately.

This time Little John felt brave enough to ask, "Which one?"

It was the wrong thing to say apparently. Regina's angry, desperate eyes grew narrow and cold. Her every breath grew erratic and something dark fizzled around them. Her right hand started fisting in the air, flames flickering from her fingertips. She looked almost possessed. But her face turned calm in an instant and all composure was once again returned. Her voice even turned velvety soft as she spoke next.

"Henry," she said, "I know he's been here. I… I remember him mentioning it to me before he disappeared. I figured I would come by and see if he left some clue here. Perhaps you can help me?"

John knew the mayor and he knew this woman in particular. He knew when Regina Mills was lying and he knew when to call her out on it. Neither of these rules applied to this particular situation. For all the calm exterior and mayoral clothes, Regina Mills was not the woman standing before him. This woman, her chocolate eyes nearly black as coal and filled with anger instead of warmth and love, was something else entirely. This was the Evil Queen and he would not bow down to her.

"I'm afraid, your majesty, that you are mistaken," he said, "I haven't seen your son and if I had I most certainly would not give him to you."

He felt the air grow more compressed even as he spoke. He could see the anger only growing in her eyes. Her calm façade dropped into an ugly scowl that marred her otherwise pretty face. The scar just above her right top lip grew more visible as her frown became more pronounced.

"Don't lie to me," Regina said all pretense of pleasantness gone, "This belongs to him. He never leaves home without it. Now where is he?"

John thought about snapping back at her with an ugly retort. But Regina had thrust the stuffed monkey towards him as evidence of a crime he did not commit. He could see a speck of confusion in the mayor's eyes as she stared at the monkey, searching for answers. His mouth fell open as shock finally registered.

"That's Roland's monkey," he said, "you gave it to him-"

"I know how my son got his stuffed monkey, you imbecile!"

Regina looked almost normal this time. Her eyes weren't black pits of anger and bloodlust. They were chocolate pools of confusion and pain. He could even see her breathing catch as she stared at the monkey lovingly. She petted its fur, grooming it as if it were her missing children.

"One of Zelena's monkeys tried to hurt him," she whispered, "but I saved him."

She looked away from the monkey and John could see the mayor behind the queen. He could see the panic and fear for her children's safety. He even saw her ugliness draw back into the beauty beyond. Then, like the flip of a switch, she was once again scowling in disgust and waving fireballs in the air.

"Now where is Henry?" She asked.

John stood paralyzed.

"I don't know," he said.

She smiled and John felt his heart freeze. She began to play with the fireball in her right palm, flicking it between her fingers. She allowed it to grow big and bright before turning it into smoke then allowing the process to start all over again. Her dark eyes turned on him. Her smile was poison.

"I'm only asking this one more time," she said, "Where is my son?"

John simply turned tail and screamed.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"What does this mean?"

Belle could see the confusion on her husband's features. She could see his curiosity fully peeked as well. He was absorbing the words, muttering softly to himself. Every now and then he would even pause and calmly ask one of the voices in his mind what something meant. This was one of the rare moments Belle was glad she was still married to the Dark One, his endless resource of the Dark Ones currently talking in his head.

"None have ever seen these words before," he said, "but I do know where they came from."

Belle smiled encouragingly towards him, grasping his hand in pride. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to relax in her grip. He returned her smile slowly. Then he pointed to the words as gently as possible.

"They are from Pixie Hollow," Rumple said, "from before the rise of the dark fairy. And there is only one fairy in particular I know of who will be able to read these words."

"Blue," Belle said, "Of course… why didn't I think of it before?"

Quickly she packed the book into her bag and started gathering her supplies. Ink and parchment were substituted by a pen and notebook. Her bookmarks fluttered the table before her. But the light feeling in her chest left Belle with the hope of a solution.

So engrossed in her packing was she that the librarian failed to notice the lights dimming all around her. Even the sun was slowly being blocked out. Her ears were perked to listen for Rumpelstiltskin's words of caution, his hatred of the fairy dating back centuries. But she frowned at the feeling of breath on the back of her neck, breath that felt cold and dry to the touch.

Belle turned around slowly, fully expecting anything but her visitor. The figure was covered in complete darkness. His features were nowhere to be seen. He was decorated in a tight black armor that towered over his arms and head. A black sword appeared in his hand, pointing directly at Belle's throat.

"Get away from her!" Rumpelstiltskin shouted.

Belle looked to her left in hopes of seeing him. She found only darkness, deep impenetrable darkness. She turned back to the figure only to see multiple copies standing behind him. He stepped forward and grabbed the librarian's arm without hesitation.

"You know what our master wants," the figure said.

Belle was about to ask for more specifics. She found herself wondering how the figures voice could sound both human and robotic. She wanted to know what these figures were. She even opened her mouth to ask all of these questions and more. But a tight pull that began to tear away at her stomach interrupted her thoughts.

The familiar compression of air all around her made her close her eyes in anticipation. She felt herself being tugged down against her will. Her arms and legs were glued together. She could feel the oxygen disappear from her lugs. And just as suddenly, the discomfort of magical travel stopped.

Belle opened her eyes to find herself standing in a portion of forest too dark to comprehend. The black giant figures slowly disappeared behind trees and foliage. The darkness ebbed and faded until a setting sun appeared through cracks in the tree line.

"Welcome."

The librarian swung herself around to glare at her captor. The man stood, his long red cape regally draped around his right arm. A golden crown, cracks in its regal fabric, sat atop his head. His black armor encircled each and every visible limb. The crest of a lion rearing for battle stood proud over his chest.

This was Lord Rothbart, the dark king of Sherwood. He smiled cheekily and conjured a delicate chair to sit opposite his golden throne. The chair, made from two trees bending and snapping at his magical command, remained empty despite his obvious invitation.

"I am-" Rothbart began.

"I know who you are," Belle said, "and I do not nor will I ever bow to you."

Rothbart, his black beady eyes watching her every move, simply burst out into laughter. Red smoke began to pull and tug away at Belle, forcing her to close her eyes against the sickness of travel. When her eyes opened she was forced to grimace. The madman before her used his magic to get her in the chair.

"You do not bow because you do not think I am true king," he said, "But you are wrong my dear. I do not blame you. You will see that I am a forgiving king. Robin merely has you all fooled into believing his tale, but you don't know the truth. I will fix that as soon as I rid the world of that vermined outlaw."

Belle was on the verge of answering the despicable man. She instead found herself rising onto her feet and found her back bending against her will. She was now on her knees before the wretched would be king, bowing as if she belonged to him.

"As for bowing," he said, "Eventually you will learn to do that on your own. I do not expect my subjects' loyalty to be won so easily. If it were I'd have no use for any of you."

Rothbart laughed at the vicious glare Belle was sending his way. She may not have been royalty by any means. But she was born of high nobility and that was important. She was only meant to rise above most of bow to a special chosen few. In this land, she didn't have to bow to anyone.

"Enough!" She screamed and she was standing of her own volition once again.

She was proud to find the smirk on his face wiped clean. Belle stood before him with the nobility and grace her parents had always taught her. She gestured to the chair of trees and cursed his name.

"You selfish," she said, "arrogant man! Do you know why nobody is willing to accept you as their 'true king'? Because you're a tyrant. You do not show respect to anyone and you expect us all to willingly follow you wherever you should leave. I'm glad Robin is nothing like you. He's the only man I've ever met who truly deserves to be king!"

"Hold it right there, missy!" Rothbart said, all pretense of kindness and generosity gone, "You've just pushed me one step too far."

"Or perhaps I haven't pushed you far enough," Belle said, "because you seem to think that you will still get your way."

"Oh I will," Rothbart said, "and you're how I'm going to do it, my dear."

Belle scowled at the endearment. She knew who used those terms and who taught her to do it. This would-be-king before her didn't even deserve to breathe the same air as either of them. He was just mimicking those before him.

"You are-" she said.

"Winning," he said, "because your husband will do anything to keep you safe. He was even willing to end his own cowardice after three hundred years. Yes, I know exactly what your husband is, dear. And he will bring me what I want for a price… and you are that price."

Belle froze. Her gut dropped and her heart slowed. She could feel the ice of his words gurgling up and down her veins. Suddenly the shadowy figure's words made sense. She was the ransom and the demand was a price far too steep to pay.

Rothbart was going to get the Dark Curse.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian was not a happy camper. Emma couldn't even blame him given his history with the pawnshop owner. But she was quick to remind him that they were doing this for Belle, his estranged wife who wanted him to become the hero he was always meant to be.

"And Regina," Emma said, "Whoever took Robin and the kids probably did something to her. If we can save Regina we might be able to find who did this and stop them."

"Or at the very least finally have a reason to kill Zelena," Killian replied.

Emma calmly tried to ignore his pessimism. It wasn't like she hadn't had the idea before, when she was taken by the darkness that was a big plot point for her plans. But Zelena was Regina's sister and that meant killing her was off the table… and not what a hero would do.

"If it is Zelena we have no guarantee of ever finding the children," David said, "Perhaps it's better if Regina did steal the kids. Once we find out what curse she's under we can undo it and she'll tell us exactly where they are."

"If she's under a curse," Killian said.

Emma slugged her boyfriend with her right fist. She quickly picked up pace and started marching to a different beat. What little hope had been in her chest was slowly dissolving. Belle's words rang clear in her mind, _'I think she's looking for Robin'_. If Regina really was back to being the Evil Queen, there had to be a good reason. Emma refused to believe anything else.

"Let's go," she said.

She heard the soft footsteps of boots trudging along behind her. She could even hear the distant snapping of a fire. It was then that Emma Swan realized in what direction they were heading.

Of course, Emma thought excitement racing through her veins.

If there was one place in the world Regina would find Robin Hood it would be with his Merry Men. The blonde sheriff ran forward with all of her might, heart pounding. A smile even dared to form on her features when she entered the camp. Her smile fell away when she realized the camp was in flames.

"No," she said.

She ran towards Robin's tent, already hearing screams encircling her ears. Heavy footsteps sounded off in the distance. She could hear yelling and the scrambling of weapons. But Emma Swan refused to stop until she was standing in front of the smallest of tents.

Standing before her was Regina Mills, her black pantsuit now tarnished with streaks of flame still blazing. Her black blazer hung limply around her shoulders in delicate tatters. Only her soft grey cotton shirt seemed immune to the damage. But her delicate raven hair still stood tight in a ponytail at the back of her head.

"Where is he?" Regina said.

It was only then that Emma noticed the brunette's chocolate eyes were not focused on her. Instead the mayor was staring at a large bearlike form floating in the air. Little John, his brown eyes wide and red-rimmed, held tight to his throat gasping for air. He simply shook his head wild hair whipping to and fro furiously.

"Reg…gina," he coughed.

The mayor's face warped into one of pure anger. She squeezed her fingertips tighter and the big man howled in pain. Emma couldn't help but watch on in shock.

"It's your majesty," Regina said, "Now where is my son?"

"Which one?" Emma asked.

She was stunned by the ferocious growl that escaped the mayor's lips. A simple flick of her wrist and suddenly Emma found herself flying through the air. She landed, hard, on tree stump not too far away. Her head was still spinning when she realized just how many people were in the camp.

Friar Tuck had his shield strapped to his left arm. In his right was a solid two – by – four that looked brand new. At his side were two more of the Merry Men, the youngsters unfamiliar with the actual Evil Queen. They were holding dart guns that probably only had enough juice to confuse Regina at best. Will Scarlet, the only other experienced leader in the group, stood wide-eyed to the very far right. He watched, helpless as Little John continued to float in the air.

"I only have one son!" Regina screamed as loud as the forest itself, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Well," Killian of course could never leave a challenge alone, "You are holding Roland's stuff monkey in a death grip in your left hand. Perhaps the confusion comes from that."

Regina released the large man. He fell to the ground choking for air with a thunderous "oomph". He continued sputtering and moaning, the mayor paying him no mind as she allowed a fireball to grow in her right hand.

"What?" She asked, her sights dead set on the pirate now, "This is Henry's."

She raised the monkey up high for all to see. She even seemed proud of herself for not destroying them all on the spot. She flounced about as if in a petticoat and corset instead of burnt rags. Even her hair began to spin and glow with purple magic.

"But I will forgive your slight lapse in judgement," she said, "Considering you and I are… friends. I'll even help you finish what you started with your thirst for revenge."

"Revenge?" Emma asked.

The mayor turned a venomous gaze once more on her. She lunged forward fireball flickering as she moved. The light reflected in her chocolate eyes made her seem more mad than before. Then the light receded and the flames grew big as they headed straight for Emma's head.

The sheriff ducked out of the way only remembering her magic when the tree stump burst into flames. With a wave of her hand the flames died away. Emma stood back up and stared at her friend.

"That's enough of that!" Killian said, "You could have killed her."

Regina once again whipped her head around to stare at him. She stepped forward, teeth grinding hard against each other. A new set of flames came forth in her hand. But Emma watched in awe as the monkey glowed purple to protect it from the flames.

"And what would you care if I did, pirate?" Regina asked, "What could the precious savior mean to you? Surely she would never allow you to take part in your revenge!"

 _That's the second time she mentioned revenge_ , Emma thought. Her mind was struggling to process. She could feel a slight headache still flare through the back of her skull. Her confusion was doing nothing for her thoughts. She knew there was something important in what Regina said. She knew there was more behind this than just Regina turning evil once again. There had to be something about the monkey and Henry…

"That's it!" Emma cheered aloud.

It was a distracting enough sound to turn all attention her way. The sheriff could see the confusion and worry in the Merry Men's faces. She could even see a flicker of something in Regina's eyes. Emma stared at the brunette before her, hoping to see more of that something as she spoke.

"You said revenge for a reason," she said, "You think Killian wants to kill Gold, right?"

Regina looked more confused than anyone else. Emma could see the frown forming the familiar line running down the middle of her forehead, crinkling up her nose. She even noticed Killian's face in the background his features always so familiar in her mind. His bright ocean blue eyes were now blown wide. That charming damn smile appeared on his smoldering features and his whole demeanor changed. Once again Killian Jones was the feared pirate Captain Hook.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It was sunset when Rumpelstiltskin appeared. He stood tall in his delicate Italian suit, his cane wrapped handsomely at his elbow. He walked in with the grace and elegance of a duke. He even gave a half-bow at the golden throne Rothbart sat upon.

"I have come as requested," he said, "now let her go."

Belle opened her mouth to object to the demand. But vines started popping up out of the ground all around her. She felt herself tugged down back into that insufferable tree chair. She sneered at her captor even as the vines grew thorns that pricked and prodded harshly.

"First," Rothbart said, "There is other business to attend to. Have you brought what I asked?"

Rumpelstiltskin merely snarled in reply. His amber eyes fell towards his wife, silently promising her the world and safety. She smiled towards him. She knew he wanted to protect her. She even knew why he was doing this, answering a ransom once again because of her. She just hoped he did it right this time.

Her husband's soft eyes turned cold as they gazed at her captor. A new frown began to his mar his beautiful lips. He tugged away at his right breast pocket. In his left hand he held out a tiny scroll no bigger than his thumb. It was brown and stood as thick as a roll of quarters.

"Give it to me," Rothbart demanded greedily.

"First," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Get your damn vines off of my wife!"

His shout was exclaimed with a thunderous crack of lightning touching the ground before them. The vines tore back lazily. Belle practically had to swat them away to free herself completely. She rose from the arrogant chair, blue-green eyes blazing at the man on the throne.

She made it half-way to her husband before a new magical took hold. Her ankles slowly began to seep into the ground. Try as hard as she might, she still could not get out of the muddy depths. She looked towards her husband for answers. She sunk to her knees before the madness stopped.

"Now that you know she is safe and unharmed," Rothbart said, "Give me the scroll."

Rumpelstiltskin obeyed with the wave of his hand. Red smoke took the scroll and put it directly into the hands of the madman on the throne. Rothbart held the scroll up and waved hands of his own. The scroll disappeared but Belle stayed stuck.

"Untie her now!" Rumple yelled.

Rothbart merely chuckled at the Dark One before him. He stepped down from his golden chair and walked into the mud. He stopped only when he was face to face with the desperate man.

"Did you really think I would let you both go, my dear master?" Rothbart said, "You know me better than that, old friend."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded his head. He raised his cane into the air as if to strike. But Belle simply found the cane disappearing in red smoke before it could even touch the dark king. The cane transformed itself, standing before Belle in the image of a smiling coat rack. It held out its wooden hands for her to take. She was out of the mud and pulled at a heavy run.

She looked back to see a duel taking place. Red magic swirled between student and master, disappearing them both from view. Belle paused to head back and check on her husband, but Rumple had already accounted for that. The coat rack turned towards her and hoisted her up as if she weighed no more than the very books she carried.

Together they raced to the pawnshop for safety.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It was only hours later as Belle sat alone in the dark when Rumpelstiltskin finally returned. He came in limping heavily on his cane, the real thing having returned to him some time ago. His clothes were a bit singed but no visible harm seemed to exist.

Belle rose from her chair. She stepped towards him with every intention of hugging him close and offering him her comfort. But her hand had a mind of its own slapping him before she even had a chance to register its movements. Her husband's amber eyes grew wide and for once he looked truly wounded by her actions.

"Don't you ever do that again!" She found herself shouting.

She had meant to apologize. She even felt tears stinging away at her eyes. Instead a giant wall of anger filled her every muscle and her very heart. She slapped him again before she could think twice about. And he simply took it, too stunned to defend himself and too hurt to even bother.

"Don't you ever make me leave you behind!" She said and she was still slapping him with every word, still hitting him for a reason she couldn't quite comprehend.

"I love you, you coward!" She said, "And I won't be left behind to wonder if you live or die!"

And then she was suddenly overcome with tears and the uncontrollable need to feel him hold her. He pulled her tight and cried along with her. They just held each other close and thought of everything that happened. It wasn't until the moon was high that Belle realized why she was so ready to cry.

"The scroll," she said, "Does he still have it?"

Rumpelstiltskin merely inclined his head. His delicate fingers traced her pale cheeks. He looked as if he were taking her in for the very first time. Belle had never seen him with so much love in his eyes.

"Yes," he said, "Storybrooke is doomed."

Belle didn't even bother to acknowledge him. She pulled him close until their lips were touching. Together they stayed entwined until the waxing moon faded from the sky. They were both too caught up in their horror and their grief to leave each other's side.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"There," Killian said, "you see, Swan. I told you she would figure it out. If you had just let me do what I intended we'd both have what we want."

Regina swirled right back to him, her chocolate orbs now black with disgust. Her face was snarled into an angry knot. She stepped towards the man fingertips blazing.

"You're working for them," she accused, "After everything my mother and I did?"

"Relax, your majesty," Killian said, "Swan simply thought purchasing my freedom would be enough. Obviously I planned on allying myself with you from the very beginning. After all, you are more than willing to give me what I want."

Regina's lips pulled back into an acidic smile. Her white teeth practically preened at the pirate's statement. She turned her dark eyes onto David and laughed. Then she stepped towards him.

Emma had to fight all of her instincts not to rush towards her father. The Merry Men, however, were part of a different plan. They all took cautious steps forward, unsure of whom to fire upon. The older members each stood surrounding the other sheriff as if it were business as usual while the younger ones looked from Regina to Little John in confusion.

Little John for his part simply shook his head. He slowly rose to his feet and picked up a lonesome tree branch. He flipped it in his hands to gain some attention. But Emma noticed his brown eyes were not focused on the mayor nor on his men's actions. Both he and Friar Tuck had their eyes glued to a figure in the distance.

Emma looked left ever so discreetly. Will Scarlett now held a bow and arrow in his hands, primed to fire right at the mayor's shoulder. The younger men all were too confused to notice him standing behind their leader's queen. But the older members all exchanged glances and kept up the ruse.

Emma calmly shook her head as subtly as possible.

"So," Killian said, "In exchange for information on your boy, I expect your help in getting my revenge."

"Naturally," Regina replied.

Killian smiled ever so coyly. He gave an exaggerated bow and calmly held his hook out for her to take. When he looked up it was with a heated wink that would have made Regina huff indignantly and slap him in the back of the head. Instead she simply smiled wider and allowed her cold dark eyes to fall back onto the sheriff by the name of David Nolan.

"One last chance, Charming," Regina said her tone mocking, "Where is Henry?"

Emma held her breath as her father stared the mayor down. He stepped forward out of the protection of the merry men. His head was held high and his steps were measured and grand. He stood with his hands out and palms up in surrender. Then his eyes connected with Will Scarlett and his chin connected with his throat.

"Now!" He said.

Killian rushed towards the mayor, hook wrapping around her flaming hand. He made certain to get the flames as close to the stuffed monkey as possible, satisfied when the flames went out to protect the precious thing. Then Will's arrow zoomed to protect the pirate from Regina's other magical abilities.

But the arrow turned to ash before it could even touch Regina's olive skin. A giant wave of light pushed the pirate back, sending him fifty feet or more into the air. Emma had to rush to create something soft for her boyfriend to land on, only then realizing her mistake. Killian landed in a bounce house version of his ship, but Regina's flames went chasing after.

"Traitor!" Regina screamed.

Emma didn't think about the discomfort. She simply closed her eyes and allowed the compression of her body to take hold. She imagined a giant shield to appear before her. Then she opened her eyes in time to see the flame turn to ice as it passed through white smoke.

"You will pay," Regina said, "You will all pay for that!"

Regina's cold eyes turned onto the very image of one Will Scarlett, standing in a pile of ashes like a deer caught in the headlights. A sinister smile suddenly began to pull at her lips, revealing startlingly white teeth against those blood red lips.

"If I can't have my son," Regina's voice was cold and detached as she spoke, "Than I shall have a heart instead."

Emma didn't even have time to react. A puff of purple smoke surrounded the mayor. She then reappeared right before Will Scarlet's stunned form. His eyes grew wide with alarm as her hand reached towards his chest.

"No Regina," he managed to get out.

But the thief was too late. Regina's hand had already made the attempt into his chest. The magic erupted in protection immediately. A white light pulsed exactly where her hand made contact. Regina was pushed off of her feet and forced through the air thirty feet into the trees with a loud sharp thud.

David was the first to move, his feet racing towards Will Scarlett's terrified form. His arms wrapped around the brown-haired thief and refused to let go. The thief tried to pull out of his grip. He was struggling against the sheriff sharply shouting in distress.

"I promised Robin," he said over and over.

Little John grabbed the man by his shoulders, roughly swinging him so they were face to face. The short brown buzz-cut of Will was a giant contrast to the wild, burly whiskers that tangled all over John's face. But both brown eyes were staring at each other with twin looks of concern and horror.

"Aye," John said, "but she's the one who cast that spell. It was Regina who protected you from the Evil Queen today."

Will opened his mouth as if to argue but closed it all the same. His helpless puppy-dog eyes fell towards Emma. She could barely breathe let alone absorb anything. Her eyes connected with John next and that same hopeful glint was in his brown eyes as well. She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat, choking on her own lack of understanding.

The savior's focus was pulled away immediately to the actions of Killian Jones. The one-handed pirate was already struggling with the mayor, having found his way towards her while Emma stood idly by. His one hand could only keep track of her pulse but his hook was sharp on her back. She was pinned but her waking form would soon defeat him.

Emma felt her heart drop as her mind struggled on what to do. She moved to look helplessly towards her father, a weight suddenly forming near her stomach. She pressed her right hand to hold it back. The weight she felt was the physical presence of the cuff in her pocket, the one that would stop the wearer from using their magic.

"Dad," Emma said, her mind already figuring out a plan.

Her father gave her a quick sympathetic look before rushing to her boyfriend's side. Together they worked to lift the mayor up. Her brown eyes blinked owlishly, crossing slightly as consciousness strove to take hold.

Emma moved in one swift pace, sadness and determination battling her heart. She gently placed the black cuff onto Regina's thin wrist. Then she proceeded to handcuff the mayor for the protection of everyone involved.

"Handcuffs, Ms. Swan?"

And that was just another twist of the knife already in Emma's chest.

"My magic will have me out of those shortly," Regina said.

Emma snapped the cuffs a little tighter than she meant. Anger and heartache bubbled in her chest, constricting her throat even further. Her eyes were beginning to burn from the torment the mayor was able to deliver without even knowing it.

Still, the familiar tug of Regina's magic brought the savior back to earth. Emma closed her eyes in relief. The cuff's magic had worked.

"No!" Regina gasped.

Her tone was a mixture of angry and foreboding, but Emma could detect just the slightest bit of fear. She watched as her friend's hand found the cuff on her wrist and tugged uselessly. She could feel the rising panic of her fruitless struggles as if they were her own.

"What have you done to me?" Regina cried.

"What I've done, your majesty," Emma said with only the slightest tinge of hatred, "is stop you from harming any more of our friends!"

The mayor huffed in annoyance at both the emphasis on the word "our" and the very idea behind friends. It was familiar enough to bring a smile to Emma's face. She noticed Killian too was biting his lip at the callback. If the situation weren't so dire, they'd be sharing laughs with the Evil Queen right now.

 _And,_ Emma thought bitterly, _Regina wouldn't be the Evil Queen._

"The cuff on your wrist, Madame Mayor," David said, "stops your magic from doing harm to any of us."

"It also," Killian couldn't help but add, "makes it so Emma can do whatever she damn well pleases."

He finished this with one of his signature smiles, a slight pull of the lips that showed just enough teeth to be called dreamy. He gave Emma a reassuring wink and quickly moved his hook so the point was almost touching the mayor's nose.

"So I suggest your majesty that you hold your tongue."

The carefree smile disappeared into something far more sinister. He held his hook threateningly close to Regina's cheek, sliding it against olive skin ever so slowly. A familiar twinkle of the old Captain Hook began to show through. He gave a quick tug of his hook forward, slicing the delicate skin.

"Or I will cut it off," he finished darkly.

Emma didn't know whether to hit him or kiss him. She felt confused and afraid by her boyfriend's words. So she helped her father escort the bristling mayor out of the library, shouting about her revenge all along the way, and made a mental note to talk to him later.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Belle was once again pouring over her books, searching for even the smallest minute detail. She couldn't leave anything to chance now. Rothbart had the final ingredient and the heroes barely had time to get the protection spell on Emma's yellow bug.

She heard the bell chime above the front door but she made no move to check on the person. The quiet soft tap of expensive shoes on hardwood made only one candidate possible. So Belle didn't flinch when her husband stood in the doorway, watching her carefully.

"I'm sorry I used magic," he said, "I know I promised that I wasn't going to use it to hurt people and I once again let you down-"

"Rumple stop," she had to interrupt him, "It wasn't your fault. Rothbart left you no choice."

"But I should have told you about our past," he said, "that I was the one who trained him… That I turned him into the monster that almost killed you."

Belle closed her current book with a loud thump. She gave him a steady glare with her blue-green eyes and then quietly opened up Merlin's book of prophecies yet again. She looked back down at the words, certain she missed something.

"If memory serves," she said voice quiet so she could keep reading, "Regina was once upon a time one of those monsters you take credit for creating. And look how well that turned out."

"That was different," Rumple said, "I needed Regina to get me to a land where I could find my son."

"And Rothbart wasn't used how?" Belle asked.

There was silence that suddenly enveloped the whole room. Belle could feel a sudden tension filling where words should. She looked up, her mind quickly reminding her that she was on page ninety-four. Rumpelstiltskin looked ashen and worried.

He was scratching away at his expensive silk shirt. He moved the elaborately designed coat away from his shoulders. Then his hand jerked up and started working away at his tie, loosening for better access to breathe.

"Rumple?" Belle said.

His brown eyes flashed gold in challenge for a moment. Then, just as suddenly, the soft amber brown took over and there was true sorrow reflected back. Belle knew regret when she saw it in her husband's eyes. She suddenly felt worried for him and didn't know why.

"Rothbart wasn't used," he replied calmly.

Belle dropped the book from her hands and gasped. She walked over to her husband with so many questions flashing through her mind. She settled on the only one that seemed to shout the most.

"Why?"

To this Rumple bowed his head in defeat. He closed away his brown eyes and physically blocked her out from the tumultuous emotions of his mind. When amber eyes opened it was with a heavy acceptance like never before. He took both of her hands in his, gently rubbing soothing circles.

"Rothbart was a means to an alternative end," he said.

Belle frowned in confusion, hoping to understand. She could see the guilt clouding her husband's expression. She could feel him fighting to reveal even a little of his evil past. So she squeezed his hands back and tried to be as encouraging as possible. Then his eyes filled with acceptance and the true horror began.

"I am the one who froze him," he said, "because I wanted to keep him and his revenge in case I needed to find another way of persuading Regina."

Belle removed her hands a sudden sick feeling filling her blood. She stepped away not in disgust but in fear. She could see how it hurt him. She wanted to apologize but found no words to do so. He seemed to take courage from their space and that seemed enough.

"If Robin had found her," he said, "and I went through great lengths to ensure that didn't happen, Rothbart was my burner plan."

Belle closed her eyes in hopes of blinking away the truth. Her stomach dropped and her heart ached in pain. His words were beginning to make sense and his hostility only more so.

"You," Belle licked her lips helplessly, "You wanted him still invested in getting his revenge. You were keeping him in case Regina found true love before she could cast the curse."

"Yes," he said.

Belle found herself staring at him with too many emotions to name. She could feel the betrayal and the anger. But she could also see how guilty he felt for his crimes. His plan to hurt Regina as much as she had hurt him made perfect sense. Belle simply wished she knew all of this much, much sooner.

"Why didn't you?" She asked, "Wouldn't that have worked to your advantage? You would have had your son and Regina would have been absolutely powerless to stop you."

"But she would not have been as angry," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "and I needed that anger. The curse requires more than just a high sacrifice. It requires a hatred so blinding that you cannot function without casting such a spell. Why do you think the Charmings' curse was so easy for Zelena to manipulate?"

Belle nodded already understanding her husband's words. She blinked away the tears of pains past. She even dug up a gentle smile to let him understand that she didn't hate him for his news. She gently kissed his cheek and thanked him for sharing such important news.

She returned to her fallen book in a haze of thoughts and no focus. This, Belle would later think, was the sole reason for why she didn't at first notice the page she was on. She stared down at the golden letterings of page twenty-three, seemingly transfixed by them. Her eyes moved up to find words from a prophecy she had long since recounted bitter months ago.

"No," she said as the words penetrated her mind.

She stood to her full height, book held firmly in hand. She pressed the pages to her breasts so she wouldn't lose such a precious place. Then green eyes fell on amber and fear caught on.

"What is it?" He said.

"The prophecy," she said, "Merlin's prophecy about Rothbart. I was wrong."

"Wrong?" Rumple looked completely baffled by the idea.

"Yes," Belle said, "I need to find Regina now! She and Emma have it all wrong and it's all my fault."

She didn't hear her husband's shouts or pleas. Belle simply rushed herself forward, running for the door as fast as the big book would allow. She managed to spin the knob and open herself into the sunlight.

Only to find a giant wall of red clouds thrusting itself upon all of Storybrooke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Regina was not exactly happy about once again being thrown into jail. She bitched and moaned the entire drive over to the sheriff's station and even kicked David on her way out of the truck. Emma tried to be understanding but the woman scuffed up her yellow paint job and the sheriff couldn't help but be pissed.

As it was, they were getting nowhere with their questioning. The mayor seemed to take childish glee in watching them struggle for information. She even teased David when he let slip that Mary-Margaret was missing.

"Give me Henry and I will tell you whatever you want," Regina said.

Emma was not the only one who groaned. Both Little John and Will felt the need to follow her and David to the station, leaving Tuck behind to clean up and lead the men. They were just as stubborn in their questioning as her. Not once did they even bat an eye when Regina called them peasants and acted scandalized if they so much as breathed in her direction.

"Henry," John said, "Is that all you want? What about Robin? Roland and Cora, surely you care what happens to them?"

Regina simply rolled her eyes and sneered at the giant man. She let out an unladylike snort and kicked at the bars, her disgruntlement felt by the majority all around. She was still trying to remove the bracelet around her wrist, tugging as coyly as possible.

Emma smirked, pleased with the knowledge that it wouldn't be coming off.

"Henry is all I care about," the mayor said, "Your fearless leader should have thought twice before taking his children on a tour of the world or wherever they are. I'm sure their just find rolling around in the dirt and the mud like the rest of you pigs."

Emma rolled her eyes but John took offense. He slammed his hands hard against the iron bars, arms barely getting through enough to snatch onto Regina's blouse. Will had to enlist Killian's help just to keep the man from tearing the mayor apart.

"How can you do this?" John growled, "How can you act like they mean nothing to you when we all know the truth? They're your family, Regina!"

"It's your majesty!" Regina said, "And I would never go so low as marry a common thief! I am a queen."

David and Emma both had to assist in pulling John away. He was too angry for his words to even make sense anymore. He kept flailing about, egging the queen on in her ranting. But together the sheriffs and their friends managed to get the big man in a chair and give her a break.

"Honestly," Will said, "It's like she don't even know us."

It was a stunning enough statement to get Emma thinking about his words. She looked towards Killian, finding a mirror image on his features. Her father glanced at them both before nodding. He stayed with Will and John as the sheriff and her pirate turned towards the mayor as one.

"Regina," Emma said.

She merely hissed in reply. Emma rolled her eyes and gave her what she wanted.

"Fine," she said, "your majesty… how old is Henry?"

Regina's reaction was instantaneous. She erupted from her cot in a snarling mess. She started pulling on the bars, reaching out as if to strangle the sheriff herself. Killian automatically stepped between them, his hook wrapping around the mayor's wrist and pulling down none too gently.

"You call yourself his mother," Regina hissed, "and yet you can't even remember the day he was born. He chose you to be worthy of his mother and you can't even be bothered to know that he's just an innocent eleven year old boy."

Emma felt her gut drop.

"Eleven?" David asked, "How old is Henry?"

Regina clicked her tongue and shook her head. She hit her hands on the iron bars and walked to the back of her cell. Another clicking sound came from her shoes and dark eyes turned to hate. She glowered at each and every one of them.

"He's eleven," she said, "and you have no right to keep him away from me. Especially with the woman who murdered my mother!"

Emma closed her eyes against the stinging tears. She stepped back as if stabbed. She reached her hand out, seeking comfort in the only way she knew. She found her hand being swallowed by a giant warmth that reached all the way down to her toes. Ocean blue eyes gazed into green and Emma felt loved and safe.

"Snow White murdered Regina's mother?" Will asked.

It was the wrong question to ask because Regina began to sputter and shout all over again. She seemed always in a rage and Emma couldn't help but relate. The mayor's reactions were slowly making more and more sense every second. She just had to figure out how far her memories reached.

"Okay," Emma said, "You obviously don't remember Neverland."

"Neverland," Regina huffed in amusement, "Only an idiot like you would ever think about going there."

Emma bit back her usual retort, having known Regina to do anything to protect Henry and reminding her of their trip just wouldn't do. So instead she stepped forward and said in a deep voice filled with false hope and laughter.

"Tell me you remember tormenting Greg and Tamara."

Regina simply rolled her eyes. No amusement flickered to life. She didn't even have the evil glint of satisfaction in knowing the pain she caused. She didn't care about Greg and Tamara, ruling them out as a possible threat so easily.

"I don't need to hear about your conspiracy of Neal's fiancé," she said.

Emma opened her mouth to wheedle out a bit more information. But the clock began to chime the dinner hour and the loud noise was distracting enough for all thoughts to disperse. It was simply pure luck that Emma was now able to do nothing more than observe.

Regina's hands went straight to her head. Her dark eyes closed and her face fell into one of pure pain. She fell to her knees gasping with every chime of the clock. Then, just as suddenly, the chiming stopped. Regina was left on the ground panting for air and looking in far too much pain to be believed. She looked up and her eyes were chocolate once more.

"Emma," she said.

The blonde moved into action without a pause. She had the cell unlocked and the gate open before even registering her movements. She was at Regina's side and already grasping her shoulder to help her friend.

"Careful Swan," Killian said, "not yet."

The mayor was still panting, searching for breath that seemed to be nowhere. But her left hand latched onto Emma's wrist seeking comfort as only Regina could. Chocolate eyes lifted, filled with confusion and fear.

"Emma," Regina said, "What's going on?"

The sheriff licked her lips. She looked to her father for answers. He simply shrugged and pointed his chin in the mayor's direction. Emma turned back to the brunette. Her hand automatically moved to rubbing her back, bringing the breathing back to speed.

"Regina," Emma said, "I need to know what you remember. Please… whoever did this has Neal and Mary-Margaret too. We can stop them together. You just have to prove-"

"Mary-Margaret," Regina said, "Snow? Snow's missing too?"

Emma breathed out a happy sigh. She felt the smile peeling away at her lips. She quickly hooked her keys on her belt and started grabbing Regina's wrist.

"Yes," she said, "but it's going to be okay. We're going to get back Henry and Robin and everybody will be okay. You just have to remember that we're in this together. We're never going to be alone again."

Regina seemed to absorb this information through foggy haze. A small upward twitch even began on her lips. She raised her wrists for easier access just as Emma wanted. Her chocolate eyes were filled with shiny tears as they reflected back a field of green.

"Take this off, Emma," Regina said pointing to the cuff, "Please."

Emma was about to do just that. She even reached for it before a shiny hook found home on her wrist. Killian yanked her hand back and didn't stop until the blonde was clear of the cell. Emma was about to argue when she saw the mayor's features once more.

Gone away was her chocolate gaze. Regina's eyes turned cold once more with hatred. She popped up from her kneeling position and attempted to fight her way back out. She was met with the burly Little John and the lanky Will Scarlett. Together both men pushed her back until David had the cell door closed and locked once more.

Emma stared at the mayor in absolute horror.

"You lied to me," she said.

Regina smiled in pride. She lightly placed her forehead on the iron bars and smiled down at the stunned blonde. She pointed to the bracelet on her wrist and shrugged.

"Consider it pay back," she said, "for forgetting Henry's age."

"You're the one who's forgotten his age," Little John roared dangerously, "He's sixteen! I know because Roland couldn't wait to celebrate his big brother's birthday! I bought the lad his first bow and Robin scolded Will for teaching him how to pick a lock."

"Aye," Killian said, "And I finally got the lad his first boat. Sixteen is the perfect age for a young man's first voyage out to sea."

"Don't worry," Emma said, "He wasn't allowed outside of the harbor."

The cheeky banter was automatic amongst their group. If it had been any other day they would all be laughing and teasing Henry mercilessly. He hadn't crashed the boat like Emma had thought. He listened to every word Killian spoke to him and relied on his teachings of the open sea.

Regina had even cheered him on from the sidelines. She and Roland had worked all day making posters and decorating their presents for him. Robin had used their distraction to run out and get the present he made for him. It was a beautiful writing quill that Henry refused to put down.

"Right," Regina said, "And I suppose my mother came back from the dead to celebrate."

The happy memory faded away from the sheriff's mind. She found herself once again looking into hateful eyes. The happy mayor was gone for good this time. Replaced by the savage Evil Queen.

"To my knowledge the Queen of Hearts has never stepped foot in this land," Will said, "but after hearing about my dealings with her you made certain to cast the spell over all our hearts."

"And you and Robin named your daughter after her," Little John said, "So the girl would grow to be filled with love and led by her heart."

Regina scoffed. She chuckled darkly and didn't stop even after everybody frowned at her.

"Right," she said, "and how exactly did this child come to be? Or even better… I bet you're going to tell me I have a long lost sister like in those soap operas!"

She started laughing again ignoring the uneasy looks being thrown all around.

"Well that answers her thoughts on Zelena," David whispered softly.

"Or maybe Ms. Swan went dark," Regina said, "By the way, congrats on making the pirate your boyfriend. Isn't he quite the shag?"

She began laughing harder at the horrified looks all around. Killian removed his hand, stepping forward with his hook raised high in threat. Emma barely had enough time to stop him before Regina was once again egging him on.

"Go ahead, pirate," she said, "do it. I won't make it as easy as killing your father."

Emma flinched at the awful commonality her two villains shared. She watched Killian swallow down his dry retort. Her pirate seemed to shrink right before her very eyes. She didn't even notice Little John and Will begin shouting at the mayor with renewed vigor, nor would she raise a finger to stop it.

"For the record," Killian whispered, "We never."

Killian was out of her arms and waltzing through the door before she could even answer.

 _I know_ , she thought.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Belle had enough time to see a giant vine of lightning crash on the pavement right outside the shop before the door was slammed closed in front of her.

"It's too late," Rumpelstiltskin said, "The curse has arrived."

He grabbed onto her without even pausing to look for others. He was already pushing her towards the back of the shop, pausing only long enough to grab paper and ink. He pulled something from his safe and drew a white chalk line on the doorway separating back of shop from front.

"What did you do?" Belle asked.

Her arms were growing tired from holding the book so close to her chest. But fear of losing the page kept her grip steady and stuck. She watched as her husband went to the backdoor and drew a line there as well. She could feel his magic swirling around in an uproar over the curse just outside their door.

"I can't keep us from leaving Storybrooke," he said, "Nor our memories from being stolen away. But…"

He placed his piece of paper on the desk before him. Belle could see him writing down a few scratches of words but she couldn't make out what. He smiled kindly at her and waved his quill enigmatically.

"I can keep us together in this new land," he said, "and that is more than most can say."

Belle wanted to scream for him to grab others. She wanted to yell at him for being so selfish and cowardly every time he had the opportunity to be a true hero in this land. But those words were unfair and wasted given the situation. It was probably far better for everyone to stay away from Rumple should Rothbart's curse take hold.

So instead she asked a question she knew would be answered and gave her something to focus on besides fear. She pointed her chin to the paper, ink drying in his hand. She arched a stubborn eyebrow and made certain to steel her blue-green eyes.

"What does that say?" She asked.

He opened his mouth to reply only to be interrupted by red clouds cloying their way all around them. Belle shouted for her true love, hoping to hear his sweet voice instead of the pounding crackle of Rothbart's dark magic. She felt as though her entire world was being squashed away into a tiny suitcase with no way out. Then just as easily as losing her breath was, the smoke began to clear and the fog of darkness lift.

Belle gaped not at the outfit now adorning her husband's body. She simply frowned at the look of shock on his features and walked forward with purpose. She recognized the balcony just up ahead. She stepped forward, her feet cautious and calculating. She took note of the darkness around her peripheral vision, but her eyes stood transfixed by the image before her.

The red tapestries needed a good beating and an even better cleaning. The beautiful grand cherry red polish was scuffed and marred by rodents and critters scratching along the delicate floorboards. The railings were no longer glimmering in copper but an acidic green from lack of care and proper maintenance. Still, Belle paid this only a small amount of mind.

She peered out over the balcony's edge only to discover a giant moat at her feet. The water stretched for fifty feet before spilling out into a land of green overgrowth. The trees whipped in the wind. What few red clouds remained were diminished by their magnificent oxygen. And the pale light of the setting sun over the hilly horizon told Belle exactly what she knew to be true.

"We're back in the Enchanted Forest," her husband said.

Belle looked back towards him, sadness and confusion on her features. They were back in the Dark Castle, several days journey from where the royal family was sure to be. She held out the book in her hands and carefully earmarked page twenty-three.

"But why do we still have our memories?" He asked.

Belle held up the book in her hands.

"Regina," she said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian left the room with a disgruntled snarl on his face. Emma watched him leave. She quickly grabbed her leather jacket and tapped her father on the shoulder.

"Go ahead," David said as if reading her mind, "I'll keep watch while you reel in Hook."

"I'm not reeling," Emma muttered.

Her father had the indecency to smile as she walked out of the station door, pride on his features.

Once the sounds of Regina and Little John shouting ended, Emma felt relief fill her bones. Her arms automatically wrapped around her torso as she tried to decide where next to go. Her eyes found the pirate peering out over main street. She smiled despite herself. She would recognize that far away gaze in any realm.

"Oh no," she said as way of announcing her presence, "Captain Hook is wearing a look of self-loathing and he's not even gazing out over the ocean. Whatever you're thinking must be quite bad."

Killian smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. His sea blue eyes were still locked in a heated battle with a horizon only they could see. And that smile faded away, bringing clouds and darkness to those once bright blue eyes. Things were worse than Emma thought.

"Aye Swan," was all he said.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't reply and Emma hated that. She could see his eyes getting darker and darker with every horrid thought. Whatever storm was brewing inside his mind only seemed to be making things worse. The small hairs just below his lip were disappearing as he bit away at his frustrations. His right hand kept flexing in and out. He looked as though he wanted to punch something or a mirror.

Emma decided to change the subject. She was desperate to stop the pain on his face. So she figured asking him now would at least get them somewhere, if not in the right direction.

"Are you going to tell me why you threatened Regina?" She said.

He chuckled this time, releasing a small puff of air that soothed his hunched shoulders. But the tension increased far too quickly and Emma Swan was finally aware of her mistake. Those dark thoughts floating through the pirate's head had everything to do with the unhappy mayor in the station.

"Aye Swan," he said; his voice rough and low, "What do you want to know?"

"Why?" She asked and she mentally smacked herself in the head. Still the damage had been done and there was no use crying over spilt milk anyway.

"You looked like Captain Hook not Killian Jones. What was that?"

He began worrying away at his bottom lip again. All of the tension tightened his shoulders to steep mountainous peaks. His right hand turned purple from the sheer force his grasp made. Emma watched as he took one deep, soothing breath after another. Then, when she was just about to give up, he spoke.

"I had almost forgotten."

"Forgotten what?" She asked as gently as her voice would allow.

She stepped closer to him, struggling to not touch him. Her hand betrayed her as did her heart. She was already leaning on his shoulder to provide comfort and love before ever being aware of the action.

"What it was like in the days of The Evil Queen, love," he said. "I got so used to the light in her eyes that I had forgotten the darkness she once was."

"Me too," Emma said.

It was true. It felt like centuries since the last time Regina had ever actually meant harm when throwing her threats. It was painful to see the kind caring mayor thrown back to the cold heartless monarch of legend. The darkness and hopelessness in Regina's eyes was threatening to swallow Emma whole.

But her mind reminded her of the friendship they had formed, a bond forged by loneliness and love. Emma licked her lips and shook her head. The memories swarming her head were exactly what Killian needed now more than ever.

"But that's not Regina," she said, "We need to remember that if we're going to get her back."

"Aye," Killian said.

Emma could feel his head nodding above her. A slight pressure fell on the side of her head. A scruffy beard surrounding gentle lips kissed her before her pirate spoke again.

"Regina would never willfully hurt you."

It was true. Regina was her best friend, as shocking as the two of them constantly found it. The way things started between them had been far from civil. Regina was so scared that Emma would take Henry away, simply because she was his birth mother, that she did everything she could to destroy her. Emma didn't exactly make it easier when she did in fact steal Henry away. But Neverland had put an end to all of that and now the two were nearly inseparable despite their constant denial of their friendship. And all of that was now lost to them because of some stupid curse. They were back to square one and the sheriff couldn't help but hate the world for it.

"She can hurt you, Emma," Killian said, revealing the real seed of his problem. "And I don't know what I'll do when she figures out just how much.

Emma simply nodded and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. She understood his pain and she could even understand his fear. His need for revenge nearly cost them both everything once. But this was not the same and she refused to let him believe such a thing.

"I miss her too," she said, "but whatever curse this is. We will break it. We always do."

"You sound so sure of yourself, Swan."

Emma looked up and found the handsome smile she was looking for. His sea blue eyes were glinting with mischief and mirth. It brought a smile to her face to see her pirate return.

"Hope is the family business," she said.

Killian opened his mouth to reply. Emma was certain whatever reply he had on his tongue was a good one too. But the sheriff's eyes were caught away from her pirate by a movement on the road behind him.

A forest green 1980 Chevy was cruising through Main Street as if it owned the place. The windows were rolled up and impossible to see through. The chrome fenders and wheels glistened in the sun. But the worst thing of all was the fact that the vehicle's license plates did not belong to the state of Maine.

"Strangers?" Kill said, "But how? I thought you sealed the town with your magic."

"I did," Emma said, "And nobody but Gold is powerful enough to break my magic."

"So then how did they get through?"

 _That was the question_ , Emma thought.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Mr. Gold was very careful to close the shop's sign. He looked both right and left before pulling the blinds closed completely. He made certain he was surrounded by the darkness of a fading sunset. Then he went to work in the back of his shop.

His trip to the hospital was no easy task. He had a few broken ribs and his bad leg had somehow gotten worse. But after much complaining and negotiating he was allowed to leave. Belle had refused to let him out of her sight even for a moment. He had to come up with excuse after excuse before she would even consider letting him do what needed to be done.

He looked at the damage of his shop. Not a single item had been left untouched. Even the few items he actually loved were now gone, blown to bits and he had no magic to fix any of it.

 _Perhaps Belle can get the fairies to help_ , Gold thought.

He doubted Mother Superior would help. She hated him and the feeling was more than mutual. It was because of her that he lost his son. She provided the magic bean that whisked him away forcing him to create the Dark Curse. If that blasted nun hadn't done that, Storybrooke would have been unnecessary and so many happy endings would have been spared.

But he wouldn't have his grandson and Gold would never bemoan young Henry's existence in the world. So to the back of the shop he went, his mind once again moving to the task at hand. The mess could wait until then.

He began by pulling out the spellbooks on his desk and removing them completely, placing them somewhere in a chest that would be out of the way. He cleared away the cobwebs and the dust. He even took out a handkerchief to rid his chair of the power to damage his clothes. Then he removed a key from his right breast pocket.

The key was a simple black wire of a thing. It was crooked on the left, almost smashed so only one who knew how to bend it could use it. Gold didn't take much time in considering his options. He opened his bottom right drawer, lightly hit the hidden compartment with his cane only to reveal a tiny, black box almost meaningless compared to the other items in his shop. He took the key and placed it carefully in the lock.

With a tiny click the box was opened and Gold allowed himself a tiny sigh of relief. He held his shaking fingers over the few images inside. There was a lock of brown hair perfectly preserved with magic attached to a photograph of a grown man smiling as he hugged his ten year old son. A small potion glowing pink with true love stood in the left corner. Small bits and pieces of parchment with the name Baelfire in tiny scrawl came out with gentle care.

Mr. Gold cherished each piece as if they were worth more than the world around him. But he paid them mind for only so long before his quick fingers worked their way to the bottom of the box. Carefully he pushed against the bottom until it gave a soft pop. He pulled it back to reveal his final parchment torn from a contract long since expired.

This was what he was looking for and Gold smiled in triumph that it could still be found. He put away each and every one of his valuable objects and laughed. The paper was a conundrum to him as to its importance. He simply knew that the words on the paper, written in his hastened scrawl meant something. And so, for the hundredth time since waking only two days before, he read the parchment yet again in hopes of understanding its meaning.

 _Beware of Odette._

* * *

 _ **A/N II:** For those of you working out on the math. According to Season Three Henry was eleven when he went to Neverland and Twelve after the year in NYC. Ergo Henry was definitely eleven in the second half of Season Two. Please watch Going Home to check my math if you wish, or youtube it because it's faster. Til next week!_


	4. Stranger Danger!

**A/N:** _I apologize for the late posting. My work schedule caught up with me last week and I apparently needed the break. But I will try to make it up to you with two chapters in one night some time in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy this lovely piece of the puzzle. Hopefully answers will be coming soon._

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The green van sped towards the town line as quickly as the speed limit allowed. It ignored the sheriff's car chasing it, sirens and lights blaring. It even ignored the many traffic cones popping up out of the ground from tire to tire. So Emma had to close her eyes and concentrate on something other than the road.

Deep in the pit of her stomach, the ever familiar flow of power began to soar and grow. Her heart fluttered with love and happiness and everything wonderful she'd ever dared to have and dream. She pushed that power outward, focusing it on the green van speeding away. A slight tug began to form, a vacuum in her stomach that took all of that happiness and turned it into something else entirely.

Emma Swan opened her eyes, face pulled up in a sharp satisfied smile. Her yellow truck was now blocking the road, a tire spike three feet behind her, and the green van was now in a ditch on the side of the road. The blaring sirens of the sheriff's car coming into view to block off the rest of the road. Nobody would be leaving Storybrooke anytime soon.

Leroy, of course, was the first to vacate the van. His puffy beard moved up and down as he spoke, distracting Emma from really taking in his words. But the gist of it was easily understood. His hands were waving frantically in the air. He was constantly pointing in the direction of the townline. His face was scrunched into a frown that ate away at his beady charcoal eyes.

"Get out of my way, sister," the town's drunk said, "I will walk over the townline."

Emma didn't exactly stop him. Her curiosity was a little too morbid for her liking. So she watched, fascinated, as he marched his way to the familiar red painted line that stated exactly where the border was. The green sign mockingly blared right when Emma's conscious did.

"Nobody's leaving Storybrooke," she said.

She felt everybody tense behind her. She noticed the angry glares in various stages from the dwarves. Her father had his hands on cuffs, already planning to arrest anybody who tried. Killian simply looked bored as usual. But his right hand was checking to make certain his hook was in its proper place which meant he was ready should a brawl begin.

"Go ahead and try, sister," Leroy said, "I'm not dealing with Regina as the Evil Queen again. I had enough of her last time and with Robin and Henry missing I'm not taking my chances."

"She's lost her memories, mate," Killian said, "And she's safely locked away in her cell. What harm can she do there?"

Leroy looked downright angry now. He waltzed straight up to the one-handed pirate and started poking him in the chest. Emma couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at the fact her father was the one who intervened.

"You of all people know that bars won't stop her like this," Leroy said, "And we have no guarantee of getting her memories back or finding the missing children. I'm sorry but I have to think about my brothers here. Besides…"

Leroy shot her a sorrowful look this time. He took a steady step back and shook his head. Then his beady charcoal eyes filled with pain. He bowed his head, swallowing.

"How do you think she'll react if she remembers and tells us she killed Snow?"

Emma's heart sunk. She felt tears suddenly prickling away at the backs of her eyes. Her breath started coming in short spurts. A giant ache filtered through her heart, stabbing it like a knife. She looked up only to see Leroy walking towards the line.

"I won't watch her lose her mind all over again," Leroy said, "I won't watch any of this."

"Yeah," this time it was Doc who spoke, "I was just starting to get used to Regina and now she's evil again? I can't handle that kind of change. I have high blood pressure. I've been told that I can't join in on any more dangerous quests because of it. My health is at stake here!"

He wasn't the only voice speaking now. All of the dwarves were screaming about their miseries. They were out of control and Emma had nothing to stop them. It wasn't right for her to put their lives in danger, especially when she didn't even know what the danger was.

"You can't cross that line," David said, "We don't even know what will happen. You could all turn into dragons for all we know!"

"Alright enough!" Emma screamed.

Silence stretched from her stormy voice. Everybody looked to her in absolute awe. Leroy even looked hurt by her reaction. But she ignored them all to stare at her father. Her voice was very determined when she next spoke.

"Nobody is going over the townline."

Many mouths opened to argue with her. She simply held up her hand, shaking her head stubbornly. She made certain her green eyes were glaring down each and every one of her captive audience members.

"Not until I have checked that it is safe," she said.

This time Killian and David were both opening their mouths in argument. She silenced Killian with a stubborn look. Her father was less easily quelled. She practically had to threaten his very life before he backed away. Her magic tingled as she pushed him back a safe distance.

Emma looked to the townline. Her stomach gave a horrible lurch when she stepped close to it. She raised her hands and immediately recognized the remnants of her own magic fluttering in the air. She could feel a giant, enveloping warmth taking over everything. She could feel the sweat drip from the hot fiery magic. She knew this magic.

"Regina has already been here," she said.

She didn't have to look to know the disappointed faces. She could already feel it in her bones. But the fire felt different. Emma stretched her hands out hesitantly. The invisible flames licked away at her flesh but she felt no pain. In fact, she could feel nothing at all as she experimentally stretched her hands out even more.

"Be careful, Emma," Killian said.

She turned around, flashing him a charming smile of her own. Then she pushed her right foot back and let the fire engulf her.

She was stunned by the sharp cold first. She felt the border of Storybrooke dissolve into the World Without Magic. And she was stunned to find herself feeling more alone than ever. But she could still see Killian and David from where she stood. So she took a few more steps back and waited.

And she kept waiting.

She looked to her watch and saw how the minutes dripped by. Five whole minutes and still nothing seemed to happen. No magic seemed to be pressing down on her. She could breathe without fear. There was no tingle around her. She even jumped up and down to see if that would do anything. Finally, she stepped back through the magical border and rejoined her family.

"Nothing," she said.

Doc took that as his cue. He picked up his lonely black leather suitcase that had definitely seen better days, and headed straight for the townline. Emma felt the fiery magic part in invitation as his body sliced right through. But she also felt the bizarre heat rise to unbearable pressure.

The sheriff turned around with every intention of ordering the dwarf back. She watched as he took two steps before the magic began. Fire surrounded him on all sides. Emma and the other dwarves rushed forward as if to help, but they were already too late. Doc screamed as the flames ate away at his body.

Emma looked away, feeling the heated blast only intensify. She had to hold her arm up over her eyes to shield them from the flaring light. Then the air began to cool, ashes falling all around.

And at the border where Doc had once been, now stood a gargoyle statue.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Henry stared at the endless choices of baby products, mind frozen. He picked up the first bag of diapers and read the label carefully. He put it back and chose another bag. This one too promised all night protection but the baby looked happier on the other bag.

"Why are there so many choices?" He asked.

He looked up, startled by the sound of his own voice. He was still the only one in the aisle but he was sure somebody might have heard him. His mother was already at the other end of the store. He could hear Roland trying to negotiate with her in the snack aisle. Apparently the five year old thought today was a great time to break the rules.

"Please majesty," Roland said, "I'll be super good and I will share with Henry. Cora even promised she wouldn't cry if we got some soda."

Henry smiled at the boy. Then he frowned because he was once again confused on what to call him. They weren't exactly brothers. Their parents were only dating. Sure they were soulmates but they weren't married so could Henry actually lay claim to Roland as a brother?

As the teenager stood pondering these thoughts, he failed to notice a new shadow forming over the expansive diaper choices.

"Forgive me but you don't seem the new father type."

Henry jumped in surprise of the new, scratchy voice. He looked up to find himself staring at a tall man in imposing armor. The man wore a deep crimson cloak that stretched from the back of his left shoulder to hang lightly over his right. His shirt looked like one of those medieval tunics Henry had often heard of. It was black and draped around his muscles like a glove. His arms were wrapped in golden cuffs and his boots looked like antiques.

"Can I help you?" Henry asked.

It was then that the teenager noticed his face. The man had hair only a slight shade darker than Robin's sandy brown. His chin was just as chiseled as any knight in Storybrooke. But his piercing blue eyes were nearly black fire as he gazed down at the teenager before him.

Henry gulped.

"Actually," the man said, "I was hoping you could help me find someone. You look like a young man who knows his way around this small town."

Henry blinked and suddenly the man's clothes made sense. With all of the many curses in Storybrooke it almost slipped his mind. He smacked himself none too gently in the forehead and smiled. He extended his hand and nodded right along.

"You must be from Camelot," he said, "I'm Henry."

The man's blue eyes crinkled at the corners. He took the proffered hand and shook it, his grip only a little too tight for Henry's liking. His lips then parted in a happy smile.

"It's nice to meet you Henry," he said.

Before Henry even had a chance to absorb the man's deep voice and ask him questions, a new shadow appeared. The teenager once again found himself tongue-tied as the voice that matched the blob split before his very eyes. The tiny thing that parted immediately thrust his little self in front of Henry, dimpled smile on full display.

"We're getting ice cream!" Roland said.

The boy pumped his little fist high in the air in victory. He then proceeded to jump up and down in a celebratory dance. Then his brown eyes fell on Henry's empty basket. He looked to his left and back down as if confused.

"Henry, where are the diapers?" He asked.

Henry opened his mouth to reply. He even looked towards his mom to ask for help. But he found his focus being drawn to the stranger before him. There was something oddly familiar about the way he was looking at his mother.

"I'm sorry," the man said, "I'm afraid I was distracting your big brother here from his task, lad. You see, I am looking for someone…"

"Looking for someone?"

Henry turned at the sound of his mother's voice. Regina Mills stood tall in her black high heels, even with a baby carrier practically glued to her right hip. Cora was absolutely conked out in her carrier, the fresh babe deep in slumber. She didn't even seem aware that they were in the drug store.

"Yes," the man said, "Forgive me, Madame, but I am unfamiliar with this strange world's customs. How do I address you?"

"Her name is majesty," Roland said excitedly, "she's the queen!"

Regina kindly chuckled at the exuberant boy's statement. Henry rolled his eyes and quickly worked on distracting him. Together they found the pair of diapers Cora always seemed to have. And because Henry couldn't do anything without Roland wanting to as well, they both carried one bag of diapers each.

The stranger's blue eyes grew wide with surprise. He quickly made excuses and swooped down in a deep bow of respect. Henry nearly dropped his bag of diapers in shock. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Roland was mimicking him again. His little mouth was opened wide.

"Your majesty," the stranger said.

"No please," Regina said, "It's Regina… just Regina."

Henry and Roland were both in for yet another shock. The queen's olive cheeks were now shining a bright pink. Her chocolate eyes were looking everywhere but at the man still bowing deep. She reached towards him, Cora's carrier hitting him solidly in the chest.

"Sorry," Regina said, "Please don't bow."

She latched onto his right bicep and pulled with all the strength she had. Henry was quick to pick up anything that fell from his mother's basket. He noticed Roland doing the same and bit down a grin. They were still trying to get the boy to stop such bad habits before his first day of school. They only had the summer months left before fall arrived and everybody was aiming to make Roland top of the class.

"I'm not exactly a queen anymore," his mother's voice said, floating through the air.

Henry joined Roland in protesting the very idea. They chittered away about all the heroics their mother performed on an almost daily basis. Henry couldn't help but feel pride. His mother had come a long way from the Evil Queen she used to be.

"Are you new to Storybrooke?" Regina asked, ignoring the boys in favor of their guest. "I mean which land do you hail from?"

"It matters not, your majesty," the stranger said, "It only matters that my family gets the justice it so deserves."

"Justice?"

Henry's curiosity was peaked. He was already planning on rummaging through his coveted storybook. He gave the stranger another once over, his eye catching on every detail. He made a mental note to look for the rearing lion crest first and foremost. It may have been on a field of black but that reminded Henry of Robin's tattoo.

 _Maybe Robin knows him_ , the teenager thought.

"Regina!"

Robin's booming voice startled Henry. He looked in the direction of his mother's soulmate out of curiosity. He was confused to find the man racing towards them, leaping over shelves and other people to get to the family so quickly. The fabled outlaw barreled through the store like a whirlwind on a southern shore.

"Regina, get away from him!" He said.

Henry turned to find his mother already going into action. Her left arm latched onto his bicep and pulled him completely behind her. The teenager was so shocked by the strength that he dropped the bag of diapers on his journey. He watched in horror as the bag twirled to the floor. Young Roland's mouth popped open while his brown eyes blew wide.

"Roland, get behind Henry," Regina said.

Henry was already reaching for the preschooler. Roland jumped into his arms and together they stood behind their mother, awaiting instructions as always. Robin peeled in between them just as Cora became aware of everything. The baby started unleashing a high pitched squeal of discontent.

Regina immediately pulled the infant's carrier closer to her chest. The stranger stretched out his hand as if to help her but Robin had other ideas. He smashed his bow into the stranger's face, a patch of blood exploding from his nose.

This was the last image Henry saw before he was surrounded by a cloud of purple smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"What are you doing?"

Emma wasn't ignoring him on purpose. She just had to concentrate on something more pressing than her boyfriend's questions. Besides, he was more than capable of answering questions on his own.

"Gee Killian, I don't know. Staring at a gargoyle statue seems like the best idea since I am the only one who can cross the townline, but let's not worry about that, yeah?" Killian grumbled.

"to be fair," David said, "You could also be able to pass over. You weren't part of the first curse… or second."

Emma glared at the both of them. She rotated her poisonous green gaze from father to boyfriend without discrimination. Then, once she was certain their comments were stilled, she turned her attention back to Doc the stoned gargoyle dwarf.

"I can't access my magic to fix it," she said.

The eight groans on the other side of the line irked her every nerve. She scowled at all of them. Leroy even shook his head and stomped his foot. She shrugged in reply.

"Hey it's not my fault I wasn't effected," she said.

She stormed back over the townline angry as ever. She crossed her arms over her chest huffing. Her foot slammed into her truck's left tire.

"Well we do have one good thing, love," Killian said.

He extended his right hand as if to comfort her. Emma glared at him. He immediately chose to live, putting his hand right back in jacket pocket where it was.

"What's that?" Leroy asked, "I've got yet another brother waiting on a curse to break and nothing's looking rosy to me."

Killian raised his arms in surrender. He gave a smug smile. Then his hook pointed in the direction of the petrified dwarf.

"Regina remembered something," he said.

Emma was not the only one confused. She could feel her father's frown on her own chin. She looked to the dwarves and only found snarled brows and angry eyes. Then she looked at the pharmacist, Mr. Clarke, whose eyes were blown wide in fright.

And pointedly avoiding her.

"How?" Leroy asked.

"Doc's been turned into stone, mate," Killian said, "Sound familiar?"

This time it was Mr. Clarke who boldly chose to elaborate. He stepped forward on nervous toes. His hands reached to entwine each other. Then his darting eyes zoomed in on Emma for a brave second before finding new purchase on a spot just below her left ear.

"Emma," he said, "When she was the Dark One. She turned me to stone."

"Right," Leroy said, "I forgot about that. That's how Dopey became a tree during the last curse."

Guilt began eating away at Emma's soul. She felt her cheeks burn with it. Her fingers crackled with the invisible scars of such dark magic. She turned her gaze the pharmacist's way.

"Sorry," she said.

The dwarf barely even gave her a nod, but the acceptance was all over his features. A slight smile now cracked his skin. His eyes weren't roaming about in search of something. Instead he was looking her directly in the eye without fearing her wrath.

"Now according to my understanding," Killian said, "The first curse stopped you from leaving. And then when broken it forced you to forget yourself all over again."

David's features morphed into a happy grin. He grabbed Emma and smiled.

"you're sure it is Regina's magic?" He said.

Emma simply nodded somewhat confused when his face cracked into a bigger grin. Her father lightly placed some stray hair behind her ear. Then he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, making her frown deepen.

"Hook's right," he said, "On some level Regina had to remember watching Emma turn Sneezy to stone. Where else would the idea come from?"

"Which means her curse is separate from ours," Emma gasped.

She was beginning to see their logic now. But it was a leap. Regina showed no signs of caring about them nor remembering. But it did fit with Belle's statements about the break-in. Perhaps the librarian would be able to find their answers.

"What now?" Leroy asked.

Emma rolled her eyes, finally understanding why the mayor did it constantly. The dwarves definitely knew how to grind on the nerves. But there was a strange spark in the town drunk's eyes. He looked almost happy.

"Belle," Emma said, "We find her for answers."

"We're coming with you."

It wasn't a question. The sheriff found herself offended that they were inviting themselves along. But she could always use more help. And the dwarves were important to her mother. They were family in some weird way. So the sheriff simply nodded and they went on their way. The dwarves to their van, David to the sheriff's cruiser and Emma and Killian to her yellow truck.

"What do we do about our other problem, love?" Killian asked.

Emma silently cursed. She had almost forgotten about the stranger in town. She quietly banged her hand on the dashboard before quickly putting the truck in gear. She started following the caravan of cars to the pawnshop before she spoke next.

"We're just going to have to solve one issue at a time."

"The townline is cursed, love," Killian said, "And you're the only one unaffected. Whoever crossed that line knows of Storybrooke."

Emma nodded her head. She couldn't agree more. Whoever the stranger was… they needed to find out before they became a problem.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

When the purple smoke cleared Henry had no time to process. He stared in awe at the drug store sign. It looked completely serene and untouched, no sign of the brawl indoors. The teen stepped forward to open the door.

"Henry, get in the car," his mother said.

The teen didn't need telling twice. He had himself and Roland buckled in tight, Cora perfectly sandwiched between them. But the ever present scent of trees and moss was not with them. Henry looked around and noticed one particular member still missing.

"Where's Robin?" his mother asked.

Henry's brown eyes blew wide in surprise. His mother, the stoic queen, looked frightened for the second time that Henry could remember. Her chocolate orbs were giant saucers as she frantically searched for his missing love. Roland noticed too. His little hands were fisting themselves in Regina's shirt and pulling her tight.

"Majesty, what's wrong?" the preschooler asked.

The queen smiled, a false smile all teeth and no bright happy eyes. She gently rubbed his chubby dimpled cheeks and placed a placating kiss on his forehead.

"There, there my little knight," she said, "Nothing to worry about. Everything's alright."

"Where's Papa?" Roland asked.

Henry's eyes connected with his mother, a silent communication about appropriate words in the presence of a small child. Then chocolate eyes fell away and instead soothed away Roland's every fear.

"He saved us from the bad man," Regina said, "But I have to go in there to make certain we're all safe. Emma will be coming by to visit you, okay?"

Roland stubbornly shook his head making Henry want to scream. Too much time was being wasted trying to comfort the boy. For all they knew Robin was already dead or worse. They didn't even know if the stranger was a bad man or not. The not knowing was the source of the teen's frustration.

But the preschooler only knew that his father punched someone and that Regina used magic to get them out. He only knew the fear in their mother's eyes and that Emma was coming. Henry couldn't blame the kid for being so upset. Even Cora was picking up on the tension.

"Henry," his mother said, "Call Emma and don't leave this car. If I'm not out in five minutes…"

"You will," Henry interrupted.

He was sixteen. He knew the protocol for dangerous beasts and magicians. His job was to get himself, Roland and Cora home. He was supposed to turn tail and run while the rest of his family kept on fighting. It was his job to protect his siblings and he hated every thought of it.

"I love you," Regina said.

She disappeared with her warm hands still gripping the boys tightly. Purple smoke curled and twirled little halos around their heads. Cora's little face began to pucker and ooze in despair. Her little blue eyes started leaking vicious tears. Her tiny lungs filled the whole car with its barrage of sorrow. And both Henry and Roland simply grabbed the babe's tiny hands and held on tight.

Henry obediently raised his phone to his ear. The familiar ring of a cellphone filled his ears. Two steady, terrifying rings later and his birth mother picked up.

"Henry, what's wrong?" Emma asked.

"Mom," Henry said, "It's Mom… and Robin. They're fighting somebody in the drugstore. Come quick! Roland's scared and so is Cora."

He didn't need to convey his own fear. His birth mother could probably pick up on it with his voice's tone alone. He didn't really care about sounding brave at the moment. His brain was elsewhere. Thankfully, Emma Swan's seemed to be too.

A puff of white smoke surrounded the car and Henry's passenger door was immediately wrenched open. There was a slight moment where Henry thought Roland would cry out in fear, his little mind already flooded with worry for Regina and Robin. But one quick look to the right revealed a mop of brown hair already buried deep in Uncle Hook's chest.

"Henry," Emma said, "What is it?"

"I don't know," Henry said.

He felt useless for the first time in quite a while. His blonde mother frowned in sympathy before waving her hands over all of them. A giant warmth enveloped the entire car, making Cora's tempered cries turn into contented giggles. Her little hands reached out towards the invisible strings of magic. For a moment, Henry was jealous the girl could feel them.

"One moment we were just shopping for some normal Cora supplies," the teen said, "And then suddenly this stranger appeared. We were trying to help him and then Robin suddenly came in and started screaming at us to get away. I don't know what's going on, Mom!"

"Shhh," Emma said.

She smoothed back his hair and tried to draw in whatever focus she could. Her green eyes were filled with calm as she gazed at him. A small smile tugged away at her lips. Her right hand tucked away a stray hair of his.

"You need a haircut," she said.

Henry shook his head. His brown eyes darted towards the drug store, pleading with her to save his mom. Emma followed his gaze. He heard her sigh. The savior took two steps forward before something new transpired.

A solid body came crashing through the front window. The body was decked out from head to toe in forest green leather. A bow was strapped to his back and his quiver was emptied of arrows. A purple light reached out towards the archer, shielding him from harm. And a puff of red smoke began to fill the store, blocking its occupants from view.

"Regina!" Robin called.

He jumped to his feet and started charging the glass door. His arm became ensnared with the string of his bow. He fought it off, scrambling to open the door and get inside. He only stopped when a tornado of purple smoke appeared in between the scraps of broken glass before them.

"Mom!" Henry screamed.

He already had his seatbelt unbuckled when Emma realized what he was doing. She didn't even stop him. She joined her son in checking the damage of their family.

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry asked.

Regina's chocolate eyes were blown wide. She was staring at Robin as if he were on fire. Her eyes were darting wildly around his body, searching for injuries of any kind. So Henry didn't think twice before barreling into her and bracing her with a hug.

"Henry?" Regina said.

Her voice sounded hollow and scratchy. They were two things his mother never sounded like. So he pulled back just enough to fully observe her. Regina Mills was distraught. Her chocolate eyes had red rims in them. Her right hand was shaking, still glowing with fire. Henry even noticed traces of purple sparks in her hair.

He jumped back immediately, unaccustomed to such magic. He looked towards Robin and Emma for answers. It was then that he discovered the giant streak of blood dripping from the outlaw's arm.

Robin Hood seemed unaware of his injuries. His bright blue eyes were glued to the queen, soaking in her appearance like water in a desert. He pulled her into his chest without a second thought. He tucked her underneath his chin and refused to let go.

"I thought I lost you," he said.

Henry frowned, completely confused.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Woah," Emma said.

She wasn't the only one. Leroy whistled when he saw the destruction of Gold's shop. Glass everywhere was an understatement. There were shards of splintered wood embedded deep within the walls. Vials of potions were still oozing their contents down the shelves onto objects that already had some magical property.

Emma noticed a snail turning invisible before coming back into vision again. There was a book that kept shrinking away before coming back to its rightful size. A heart-shaped stone kept swirling in different colors, showcasing distorted images of people screaming. The wooden dolls near the front kept swirling their heads around as if possessed. The blonde doll was missing half of her face. Her hands were no longer entwined with those of the male doll. Instead he was hanging from the coatrack, his legs dangling just a few inches from the floor while the rest of him looked like shattered organs on the ceiling.

Nothing was left untouched. So it was no wonder that the magical broom too seemed so affected. It was sweeping up some of the glass. Then it turned a suddenly violent shade of orange. It started beating away at the cash register, making the object whistle and howl in protest.

A hand shot out and pulled it tight. With a quick snap the broom was broken, its magic gone. And the man who killed it looked mournful and distraught. His Dolce and Gabana suit even held a few stains from the mess. Mr. Gold's dark eyes held sorrow as he looked at the remnants of his store.

"This is the worst of it I'm pleased to say," he said by way of greeting.

Emma looked around confused. There wasn't an object left untouched. Some of the floor was even dissolving away from a mixture of two shattered potions. Dopey had to be pulled away because he was giving it way too much attention.

"Regina did all of this?" Killian said.

He pointed his hook all around and looked fairly impressed. Emma scowled at him. He may not have been trying to kill the man any longer but his dislike was still sharp as ever. He barely even fought the smile curling on his lips.

"Yes," Gold said, "And before you ask the rest of my shop is completely untouched. She only destroyed what was marketable I'm afraid."

Emma rolled her eyes. The man made it sound as if the mayor completely ruined him. Everybody in town knew where his money came from. He owned the town. Even after the curse broke he still had money to burn. The citizens still paid him rent when they had to. He was in no discomfort here.

"Somehow I think you'll rebuild," the sheriff said.

"Indeed I will," Gold said, "And at the mayor's expense I'd assume. She's the one who made this mess."

"And who exactly made her their enemy, Gold?" David said.

His arms crossed against his chest and he only looked less amused than Killian. His blue eyes shone with mischief as he took in the damage all around. But his blue eyes were also glowering at the hostile man before them. His tone also implied he was ready for a fight.

"Or are we going to forget who made her a monster in the first place?" He said.

Emma had to bite down on her own smirk for a moment. Gold looked less amused with every passing moment. He scowled at the prince before turning his dark eyes on Emma. The sheriff tried to look innocent, but her dislike for the man was probably easily shown.

"I would like to press charges," Gold said, "To the damages done to both myself and my wife."

"Belle already said she wasn't going to do anything as long as we kept Regina behind bars," David replied, "So I'm afraid that you're just going to have to do everything by yourself."

"I'm an attorney Mr. Nolan," Gold said, "and it is my legal right to press charges on behalf of my wife. Especially when she is so distraught by these events. Furthermore I would also like to speak to the D.A. I'm sure Mr. Spencer would love to hear about your involvement in these proceedings. I may even get a chance to sue the town."

"You will do no such thing, Rumple!"

All eyes fell to the front door. It was then that Emma noticed the state of the bell above Belle's head. The thing was so engorged it was no wonder it made no sound at the librarian's entrance. Emma was still amazed it was hanging above the door at all.

Belle, of course, looked pissed. Her arms were full of books and still managed to find purchase on her hips. Her face was red and her lips puckered. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her red rain boots contrasted with her black leggings. Her red jacket blazed over her yellow dress. And that black belt looked big enough to consume worlds with its golden buckle.

"You and I both know this was an accident," Belle said.

Gold sputtered at his wife's request. His dark eyes blazed with fire before quickly looking around. He pointed towards random objects, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly. He looked too confounded for words. Still, the slippery man always managed to find them.

"She nearly killed me," he said, "and because of what she did with this shop she nearly killed you. We can't let that go unpunished. She'll be running amok by the end of the week!"

"Emma will take care of it," Belle said, "But we are not going to give Regina another reason to come after you. You saw the state she was in, Rumple. We don't know what's wrong with her. For all we know, Zelena could have control of her heart."

A spark went off in the back of Emma's mind. It was such a brilliant idea that she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before. It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up. It even gave her and Killian the perfect alibi to leave the others behind.

"Zelena's farmhouse," she said.

Everybody in the room turned to her, confused. It was their usual state in a crisis and no matter how many curses that would never change. So it was no surprise to Emma when her father's blue eyes glazed over to the left in deep thought. She smiled when they popped back into focus, brighter than ever when looking at her.

"Do you think she'd still use it?" David asked.

Emma shrugged in reply but she could feel the excitement in the air. The dwarves were sporting happy faces. Belle even looked comfortable enough to give them each a book. Gold looked shocked that the idea wasn't his. But Emma and David were practically ecstatic with the news.

"It's worth a look," Emma said.

It was only then that she noticed the look of confusion still marring Killian's face. His hands pointed towards the shop's walls. He even pulled Dopey yet again away from the floorboard eating liquid. And Emma's stomach dropped a bit in realization.

"We have to split up," she said, "Somebody needs to stay behind to help Gold out."

There were the expected grumbles from all of the dwarves. They soon changed to guilty looks when Belle sent them all a vicious glare. But no one wanted to volunteer to help the Dark One. History told them it was always a bad idea.

"Regina only attacked you because you don't have your magic," David said.

Emma smiled at her father. He always knew the right thing to say. He also knew that it was the best way to get the dwarves curious. If they knew he was vulnerable to the same things they were, Gold would no longer be a threat. Plus it gave them something to investigate while at the shop.

"Okay I'll help," Leroy said, "but not because I trust Gold."

He gave the man the stink eye to prove his point.

"I'm doing this for Belle," he said, "because she's my friend and I want to help her. And if you really don't have magic… we'll get to the bottom of this in no time."

"Thank you, Leroy," Belle said, "it means allot to me."

Leroy was practically beaming at the librarian. He helped take the books from his brothers and together the two moved to the back of the shop. They returned with mops and brooms of the non-magical variety and pulled Dopey once again away from the dangerous liquid now eating the leg of the counter.

"Ms. Swan," Gold said, "If you would be so kind…"

Emma rolled her eyes. She was the only person in town who didn't completely hate Gold's guts. But his constant betrayals had left a stain on her soul. She almost lost Killian forever because of him. Her family had often suffered because of him. Hell, the entire purpose Regina became the Evil Queen was because of him. So it was with no love for the pawnbroker that she raised her hand and allowed her magic to clean up his mess. Because if it wasn't for Mr. Gold, Emma would never have learned magic from Regina.

"Okay," David clapped his hands as he spoke, "Who wants to help me look for the missing children?"

Dopey was volunteered to go with Sneezy and help the other sheriff out. Emma explained that she and Killian would be enough to explore Zelena's farmhouse. The rest would go to the forest and work with the Merry Men to look for any other activity. It was with walkie-talkies and silent communication that David warned Emma to be careful.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"So let me get this straight… that man is a dark wizard from your past?"

That was Emma growling Henry noted. He heard a sharp giggle escape his accomplice's mouth. Quickly he shushed the boy with a finger to his mouth. Young Roland mimicked him, fighting harder against the fit of giggles he wished to elicit.

They were in the mayor's mansion, Henry's home in Storybrooke since before he brought Emma to break the curse. The adults were in the library discussing the newest threat. It was the only room downstairs that had a door. Henry and Roland, naturally, were hiding on the stairs.

The acoustics weren't ideal, Henry was forced to admit. Both of his mothers put soundproofing spells all around to make eavesdropping even harder. But Henry spent years learning the perfect spot to hear things he wasn't supposed to. So here he and Roland were, sitting in the middle of the staircase listening in on a conversation they weren't allowed to.

"His name is Lord Rothbart," Robin's soft voice said, "He hates me and everything I stand for."

Henry heard another chuckle break out. His hand shot out of the little boy, threatening him with a beating solely with his eyes. Roland didn't even look phased by the threat. His bright brown eyes just sparkled with mischief. Henry was forced to roll his eyes. But he couldn't help the small smile pinching at the corner of his lips. He liked having a little brother.

"That was a little more than just hatred for a thief who steals from the rich and gives to the poor," his grandfather said.

Henry wasn't surprised David brought the obvious to the table. He and Mary-Margaret often tried to keep everything in the open. His grandparents wanted answers but they always wanted them with honesty. They chose to keep no secrets ever since their dealings with Maleficent and their daughter. Not everyone agreed with their methods but Henry often found himself wondering if it was because of his mother, the one who adopted him.

"You weren't there David," Regina said, "That man is crazy. He practically accused Robin of destroying his life!"

"Did you?" David asked.

Henry felt a small body curl into his side. Frightened little hands curled into his argyle sweater. One look down and Henry was face to face with big brown eyes filled with fear. Roland looked far younger than his five years of age in that moment.

"It's okay," Henry whispered.

He kept his voice low and hugged the boy to his chest. A sudden feeling began in the pit of his stomach as Roland burrowed deeper into his chest. Henry felt as though he would destroy worlds to keep this boy from harm. He imagined it was how his mother felt the moment she first held him in her arms. It was probably the feeling that made Emma choose to stay just six long years ago.

"No," Robin said, "I did nothing to deserve this."

Both Henry and Roland looked towards their left. Robin's voice shook the house with its great strength. Their eyes watched the bottom of the stairs in deep anticipation. A giant sigh of relief left their lungs when no one came, but only for a moment.

"He thinks I owe him a debt!" Robin said, "That he spared my life out of the kindness of his heart and thus I should grovel at his feet and serve him. I do not grovel to false men!"

"Robin," Regina said, "You need to tell us why he's after you. It's the only way we can stop him."

"You can't stop him, Regina," Robin said, "I have to do this on my own."

The door slammed before the boys could react. Both scrambled to get upstairs but they were already too late. Robin must have seen their movements out of the corner of his eye. Bright blue eyes were staring up and two pairs of brown.

A flicker of amusement appeared on his face. He looked to his right, scowling a bit. Then he proceeded to climb the stairs. Silently he nodded to the landing and Henry helped Roland in the right direction.

"We weren't spying, Papa," Roland said.

Henry cringed at the innocence in that voice. He was too old to succeed at that. But he did have a few tricks of his own. Perhaps Robin would go easy on him to impress his mother. The two were obviously in disagreement. If he played his cards right, he might be able to get away with…

"Of course not, my boy," Robin said, "You and Henry were merely concerned by the day's events. Besides, you would never disobey my direct orders, would you my boy?"

Roland hung his head in shame. His left foot started sliding back and forth on the floor. His fingers twiddled before him. Red started coloring his cheeks.

"Now off to bed," Robin said, "It is way past nap time for you."

Roland nodded his head sharply. He sped towards his room, the old guest room next to Henry's. He didn't even slam the door when he went in. His whiteboard sign, proudly displaying his name in big colorful letters, swung helplessly from the force.

"Robin," Henry began.

The outlaw merely raised his hand to silence him. The small smile that was there with Roland was quick to disappear. Concern now filled those bright blue eyes of his. He gazed down on the teen, patience on his features.

"I know what it's like to worry about your mother," the outlaw said, "You need not explain it to me."

Henry felt heat rise on his cheeks. His fingers wrapped helplessly around each other, fiddling for control. His brown eyed gaze stared at them in wonder. Roland had only been living with them for a few weeks and he already gained so many habits. They were becoming a family and Henry's chest brightened at the idea.

"But I also know that old habits die hard," Robin continued, "and your mother has spent decades alone. It is easy for her to forget that some burdens are not for her alone."

Henry looked up, startled by the man's words. He felt his thoughts swirl in confusion. He felt as though Robin was trying to convince him of something. He even heard the slight hint of hidden meaning. But the teen was unsure what the outlaw was telling him.

"And she forgets that some burdens are mine alone to carry," Robin said, "You must understand, Henry. Your mother's heart has suffered enough. It is my job to ensure it suffers no longer."

"But you can't control that any more than she can," Henry whispered, "Robin, if this man is as bad as you say… he could hurt you. He could hurt mom. He could hurt any of us."

"Which is why I must do this alone," Robin said, "I cannot take the chance of putting any of you in danger. What your mother fails to realize is that she is not alone. I too have suffered the loss of true love. And I too will not lose it again."

It dawned on Henry then, how similar Robin and his mother really were. They both fought tooth and nail to protect their family. They both were willing to sacrifice themselves to save everyone they loved. They were both also far too stubborn to realize when they needed help.

"Please Henry," Robin said, "understand that I have to do this."

Henry nodded. He understood exactly why Robin felt the way he did. He also understood the silent order to keep watch over Roland, Cora and his mother. But Robin failed to consider one thing as he snuck out of the house.

Henry was stubborn too.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The farmhouse was perfectly pristine as ever. They checked the basement first. It was outside and thus easier to access than the rest of the house. But all they had was the smelly cage Gold was kept in. The straw was still there, decaying on the cold ground without a care. The spinning wheel was filled with dust. Emma sneezed at least eight times while in the room. It was the first time she was glad Mr. Clarke liked to work with her father because she was truly regretted only two hands for this search.

"Perhaps the queen's heart is concealed by magic?" Killian asked.

Emma had already thought of that. She could feel the sickly sweet molasses of Zelena's magic in the air. Its slime clung to Emma's skin compressing the air and making it difficult to breathe. She could feel herself choking on the sticky stuff. But the pull was weak when she got away from the cage and there was doubt in Emma's mind.

She waved her hand, unsurprised when nothing happened. She could feel slime breaking away under her fingertips. It would turn to a bubbling boil on the air and then fizzle out, back to the stickiness. There was nothing to reveal and Emma wasn't aware enough of magic to find anymore.

"No," she said, "Whatever is here is all Zelena. Regina's heart must be inside."

Killian just nodded his head. He stepped up the steep wooden stairs and held out his hand for her to take. The sheriff took it gratefully. She even smiled when he pulled her close to his chest. A quick kiss between the two and they were off to explore Zelena's house.

At least that was the plan.

The sound of a car pulling up the driveway had them both looking to their left. A black vehicle of high end build came cruising up to meet them. The Cadillac, for its emblem was bright even on this cloudy day, stopped just a few feet away from the outside cellar. Its diamond black door swung open, a red umbrella peeking out.

Emma stared in awe as the door slid shut quietly. The driver of the car walked towards them with purpose. His blue eyes sparkled as if the clouds were his favorite thing. He wore a long black trench coat that wrapped around his muscular frame at an A-symmetrical angle. His black suede shoes were in stark contrast to the mud caking the ground.

The man seemed unperturbed as his silk pantsuit came into contact with the outer weather. His steps were steady. He stopped only when he reached his goal, standing before Emma and Killian with a bright smile.

"Hello Sheriff Swan," he said in greeting, "Deputy Jones. What brings you here?"

Killian, never one to forget his manners, extended his hand with a smile.

"Just an investigation on our current case, Mr. Rothman," he said, "We're looking into the missing children."

"Ah," Mr. Rothman said, "Yes. A terrible tragedy that… any leads?"

"None yet," Emma said, "but I'm sure we'll find them soon, Mr. Rothman."

"Robert, please," Mr. Rothman said, "Mr. Rothman was my father."

The "except he wasn't" was implied by the look on Rothman's face. When cursed to Storybrooke all those years ago, the Evil Queen had made him the owner of Storybrooke Bank and Loan. He was the second most profitable man in Storybrooke and owned everything Gold did not. Whoever he was in the past, Emma couldn't tell you. But the man was one of the nicest she had ever met.

Plus he was always in a bidding war with Mr. Gold when a new property was up for sale. Emma and Killian both enjoyed the way the two men would snarl at each other. It was always with loud cheers when Rothman won, he always gave the property to the person who lost it as a gift.

"Well, Robert," Killian said, "What brings you here? I'd think this a bit far from your comfort zone."

Rothman laughed and shook his head. He quickly withdrew his handkerchief and began rubbing away at the mud that smeared his pants. His black gloves squeezed his umbrella's handle. Yet his blue eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Benefits of being a royal the Evil Queen had no qualms with," he said, "You have eyes and ears everywhere and the loyalty to boot. No, I am here because I heard that the wicked witch was missing. I figured that her farmhouse would be put up for auction when the timing was right and I thought I would do some investigating of my own. I plan to turn this dump into a retirement home if I can. Storybrooke's elderly deserve comfort too."

He laughed again and Killian joined him. The two had gotten on quite well for their joined hatred of Mr. Gold. Apparently they had both lost someone dear to them because of the Dark One. But Emma Swan couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rothman," Emma paused, "Robert, but Zelena's house isn't for sale."

"At least not yet," Killian was quick to appease.

Rothman looked only a little upset at the news. But his blue eyes were glued to the sheriff's with rapt attention. A lick of uneasiness began to climb up Emma's spine.

"You don't think she's the one responsible, do you?" Rothman asked, the perfect tinge of sadness in his voice.

Emma frowned at that. Her stomach and mind were both hollering at her, telling her something was wrong. But she was quick to remember all the kindnesses this man did for Storybrooke. He was always the first to offer his time for town repairs. He didn't question Regina's every move when she did the town's budget. He didn't even raise an eye when Emma asked to borrow one of his empty homes for an operation setup.

No Rothman was one of the few kind men in Storybrooke. He didn't see a person as their past. He took in all angles and allowed them to prove themselves without judgement. So Emma shrugged off the feeling of wrongness in her bones. She smiled at the kind man before her and shook his proffered hand.

"We don't know yet," Emma said, "But we're hoping to find out by searching the grounds. Now if you'll excuse us. Killian and I have work to do."

For a moment, the blue eyes turned black as coal. Then Robert Rothman's blue eyes were back and shining with humor all over again. His bright smile grew wider and he shook both the sheriff and her deputy's hands, hard. They parted ways with a quick wave.

"I'd best be getting back to work too," Rothman said, "I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Us too, Robert," Killian said.

Together they watched as the car pulled away. His tail lights disappeared over the horizon just as the rain came.

"That was odd," Emma said.

Killian simply shrugged. He took his hook and broke the lock of the door. Then he gestured inside.

"Shall we?" He said.

Emma smile, pulled him in for a quick kiss and entered the farmhouse.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Following Robin wasn't the easiest of tasks. Henry often had to guess and hope he was going in the right direction. But he'd soon find some bent branch or a light footstep in the ground. Then he would see Robin's head bobbing up in the distance before easily disappearing behind more leaves.

It was with gratitude that Henry thanked his grandmother for all those tracking lessons. Finally it was all paying off. So he was more than a little surprised when the footsteps sounded behind him. Quickly he bounced behind the biggest tree, hoping the person would pass him by. He was not so lucky.

He pair of hands latched onto his lapels, making him open his mouth in surprise. A firm hand glued itself to his mouth before he could even scream. His back flared a bit in pain when the person pushed him against the tree. Then bright angry blue eyes connected with brown.

"What do you think you're doing?" Robin asked.

Henry gulped at the look in his eyes. Never before had he ever seen Robin look so upset. It was scary enough to still his tongue.

"Answer me," the outlaw said.

Henry spoke.

"I'm coming with you."

Apparently that was the wrong answer. Robin's blue eyes turned black with anger. His always happy mouth turned into a dangerous frown. His nose began to crinkle at the right corner. He looked almost dangerous in that moment.

"Go home, Henry," the outlaw said.

This time it was the teen's turn to get mad. Always, the adults told him to go home. He helped defeat a curse. He helped them against Peter Pan and Hades. He even saved all of them when the last author decided to write a different story. He was sick of being treated like he wasn't one of them, a hero in his own right.

"No," he said, "They're my family too."

"I said no, Henry," the outlaw replied.

"Well you're not my father."

Henry regretted the words the moment they fell from his lips. Even in the darkness of the forest he could see Robin's features fall. The anger had subsided in genuine hurt and sadness. But the teen had inherited stubbornness from both of his mothers. It was too late to back out now.

"At least not yet," he amended, "so you don't exactly get to tell me what to do."

He didn't feel brave when he spoke. He just felt young. Which was probably why Robin smiled. The older man even nodded his head, scratching his back with his bow.

"Your mother is going to kill me," he said.

It was all the permission the teen needed. Quickly he felt the sparks of pure joy flare through his heart. His cheeks burned with the separation of his lips.

"Really?" He asked.

"You're right," Robin said, "They're your family too. But if I tell you to run you better do so because it will be both of our arses when your mother finds out."

"Thank you."

Henry hugged the man tight in gratitude.

"Your mother is going to kill me," Robin said.

"If it helps, you can always remind her that I was going anyway."

The two shared a few laughs. Then just as they were about to go about their way, a twig snapped. Robin pushed the teen back against the tree. He held his finger to his lips, silencing him with a look. Henry nodded as he watched the outlaw raise his bow.

Robin strung arrow like an expert marksman. His blue eyes were glued to the source of noise in the distance. Then he jumped from behind the tree and fired.

"Oh," a familiar voice said, "Robin it's just me."

"Mary-Margaret?"

Robin's bow lowered but blue eyes told Henry to stay still. The teen crouched lower into the ferns and foliage, not wanting to be caught by his grandmother. It was well beyond curfew and his mother would be certain to come should Mary-Margaret Nolan call.

"What are you doing here?" Robin asked.

Mary-Margaret made a noise in the back of her throat. Henry recognized it as disapproving. The familiar pangs of guilt started clawing away it his chest. She always made that sound when she was disappointed in you.

"Following you what does it look like I'm doing," Mary-Margaret replied.

Robin's entire stance changed. From the vicious hunter of moments ago, now stood a man at his full height. His chest puffed in outrage. His hands were loose cannons on his hips. His jaw even tightened in disgust.

"She doesn't trust me," he said.

Henry could hear the hurt behind the disappointment. It was like a gut punch to the teen as well. They were supposed to be soulmates and his mother sent out their best tracker to go after Robin and keep him out of trouble. Why did she have to control everything?

"Regina trusts you completely," Mary-Margaret said.

"I don't trust you."

The teen bit back a groan. Of course it was. Of course his birth mother would be traipsing around in the forest, making so much noise the birds were probably waking from it. Because Emma Swan had her stupid superpower to tell when anyone was lying and of course she always knew when Robin was lying.

"You lied to us back there," Emma said, "When you said you weren't responsible. What did you do to piss this guy off?"

Robin's shoulders stiffened with tension. Henry could see the man pulling his fingers taut on the bow. His breathing became increasingly slow and he was chewing the corner of his cheek. So much anger and all the teen could think about was the man who just days ago couldn't fight a smile if he tried.

"It was no fault of my own what happened to Lord Rothbart," the outlaw said.

He believed him. The teen couldn't help but hear the honesty in his voice. Whatever Emma and Mary-Margaret thought, the outlaw was innocent of the crime. Besides not everything was like Snow White and the Evil Queen. Sometimes bad people were just bad people.

"You can't keep blaming people when a new villain comes marching through Storybrooke. We're a small town. Villains are bound to show up now that we have magic."

He was up and running to defend the outlaw before he even thought about it. His growing fame barely stretched above Robin's shoulder, but he wasn't going to let this happen. So he kept his stance tall as he barricaded his mother's boyfriend from harm. Of course, that was allot harder when facing twin green eyed glares.

"You brought Henry with you," Emma growled.

"No," Robin said, "The boy followed me and I figured it was safer to keep him under a watchful eye. Besides you can't tell me dragging him to the Underworld was any more responsible. Let' s not mention the trips to Manhattan and Camelot. I've been to both. I know how dangerous they are in comparison."

Henry grinned. The outlaw had a point. The teen did do allot of dangerous things. To be fair it wasn't exactly his fault. Saving people was the family business. It's not like he could control it.

"That was different," Emma said, "We had an idea of what we were up against. You won't tell us everything."

"Do you honestly think that I would put the thing Regina loves most in danger?" Robin said, "By keeping him at my side I was protecting him. Which is more than what can be said of what you two are doing out in the woods in the middle of the night."

Henry grinned at how their mouths shut at the exact same time. You really could tell they were mother and daughter with that chin and those lips. Sometimes even he forgot they were related, but it was always amusing to watch them move. They were the same… minus a generation of course.

"If you guys are done now," Henry said, "Robin and I are going to stop the bad guy so-"

"No, you're not," Emma said.

The teen opened his mouth to argue his case. But his grandmother was always just one step ahead. Her phone was already out. He knew who she was dialing. She may have once hated the queen, but that hate was never as strong as her love for her stepmother.

"Henry, Emma's right," Mary-Margaret said, "We have to call your mother."

"Don't," the teen asked.

He stepped forward and gripped the phone in protest. He opened his brown eyes wide, hoping to get the answer he wished. After a few miserable seconds, his grandmother pressed down. The call connected after only two tones.

"What is it, Mary-Margaret?" His mother's voice said.

She sounded tired. Henry and Robin were both in for a heap of trouble. She had apparently been sleeping. And since neither one of them were there it meant not very long. Cora had probably kept her up later than usual because Robin wasn't there. Plus that baby always knew when their parents were fighting.

They were dead.

"Have you noticed anything peculiar with Henry?" Emma was the first to ask.

He shot her a spiteful glare and she returned it tenfold. Apparently he was in trouble with both of his mothers now. That was never a good sign. He would be grounded for the year if this conversation lasted too long.

So the teen looked away in search of something to calm him. He noticed a bizarre shadow flittering around in the distance. He followed the shadow as far as his eyes could see. He traced its path among the trees. A simple look up and he was startled to find a pair of bright blue eyes.

The eyes grew bigger and bigger as he stared into their depths. He found it absolutely fascinating that such big eyes could exist in the woods. He stepped forward just to get a closer look, hearing a steady whir in the air.

It was then that he noticed the wind ripping through the trees. He looked around, thinking he had accidentally walked off in the middle of an argument. But his mother and grandmother were still staring at her phone barely a foot away. Robin's eyes were wandering every which way, the tension in his back visibly pulling at his every muscle. He looked frightened now, terribly so.

Then blue eyes connected with brown and that terror only seemed to increase.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

It looked completely abandoned, the farmhouse. There was a light layer of dust over all objects. The table even had a bowl of green apples in its center. Emma could feel the preservation spell vibrating over it. Zelena's tendrils of magic still felt like lightning here. The sticky sweet molasses was still thick in the air, but her apples were all lightning and heat.

Emma smiled at the similarity between Zelena and Regina's magic. They both gave off great heat but it was so different. Where Zelena was static rage in short, sharp shocks, Regina was a raging inferno trained to erupt at any moment. And they both had serious mommy issues.

"Anything?" Killian asked.

Emma shook her head. The walls were dripping with sticky magic. She could wave her hand and disperse it all and only serve to put more dust particles in the air. But to do so would lead to a much bigger problem.

The house was Zelena's. The wicked witch liked to play and had no need to make anything easy. She was also far better versed in magic than Emma. She would know how to set up magical traps that would alert her to any possible discoveries. The sheriff didn't exactly have the energy to go up against the Evil Queen's wicked sister. Nor did she want to.

"Nothing," Emma sighed, "Her magic is all around but it's old. It feels like it's been here for decades instead of a few years. And I can't exactly blow it away with my magic because it could have all sorts of booby-traps."

"So we'll be doing it the old fashioned way then?" Killian said, "Come now, Swan, I thought you liked getting your hands dirty."

Emma smiled despite herself. Leave it to her boyfriend to turn everything into a joke. She punched him in the arm and started looking around for any signs of movement in the dust. She could only find mouse droppings leading under the wood burning stove. There were also a few scratch marks in the back corner, suggesting an animal was living there during the winter.

"Not exactly one for cleaning, is she?" Killian said.

Emma rolled her eyes. She turned to see ocean blue eyes sizzling with laughter. In his hand he held a feather duster still in its packaging. Emma chuckled and so did he.

"She's a witch, Killian," she said, "It's not like she can't wave her hand and poof the dust away."

"Aye," Killian nodded, "but I don't exactly see you and Regina waving your magic all over every chance you get."

"Regina and I are good," Emma said, "Zelena could be if she tried but I think she's got her mother's thirst for power."

"That was indeed the one thing I could never understand about the queen," Killian said, "She always seemed to be dropped from a different apple tree."

Emma agreed with a nod of her head. The only thing the three witches had in common was their magic and their darkness. But even that didn't seem to unite them. The Queen of Hearts wanted revenge for having to give up her eldest daughter and her escape from poverty. The Wicked Witch wanted revenge for losing everything she was born into, the path she felt cheated out of.

But The Evil Queen wanted revenge for the man she loved, losing herself to the insanity of grief thanks in large part to Mr. Gold's manipulations and Mary-Margaret's innocence, or accidental guilt depending on your perspective. No, the three witches were nothing alike and that made everything harder.

"Is it just me," Killian said, "Or is there a rumbling coming from outside?"

It wasn't just him. Emma heard it too. It was the sound of an engine vibrating through the air. Tires were sloshing through mud, and little beads of light were shimmering in the distance. A vehicle was approaching the farmhouse.

Emma held her finger to her lips, silently directing her boyfriend to keep quiet. She removed her gun from her holster. Her green eyes peered to the back door closest to the drive. She looked out of the window and saw the source of the noise.

The forest green Chevy arrived at the farmhouse.

* * *

Storybrooke - Then

"Henry look out!" Robin screamed.

The teen have enough time to register the whirring sound had increased to defeaning levels. He could see the outlaw's lips moving. He could see Emma and Mary-Margaret stepping towards him in panic. He could even see Robin motioning to him to get down, his bow rising just above his left ear.

But the teen could only scream as something sharp pierced his left arm. His body jerked to the left. His feet left the ground without his permission. His eyes closed in pain and fear. And when next he opened them, he was soaring above clouds.

 _No_ , he thought.

His right arm was free. He watched as his fingers moved when he told them to. He could see the silver moon shining in the distance at his right. His feet were dangling, dipping into clouds and freezing at the touch. One look to his left and he found himself covered in blood. The red liquid dripped hot and wet onto his new clothes.

But his worse fears were not realized. He was not returning to Neverland as he thought. He was not tucked away into the side of Peter Pan's vicious shadow. No the thing that held him in its grasp had giant golden feet etched with dirt and blood.

The bird's legs, because a bird was definitely what it was, looked as tall as Henry when he was standing on tiptoes. The vicious talons were like bloody daggers in the moonlight. They stood easily as tall as Henry's arms. The whirring sound continued but now the teen could hear the wind whipping through feathers. He looked up and found himself staring into only brown.

 _Okay_ , Henry thought, _now what?_

The options weren't good. He could allow the beast to carry him off and probably become a very tasty lunch. He could kick and scream and try to pry himself loose, falling to his death in a pile of even more blood. Or he could play dead until they got close enough to land. The fall wouldn't be as bad and he would definitely have enough time to call out for his mom.

 _Plan Flying Squirrel it is_ , Henry thought.

They reached land quicker than the teen thought they would. He felt himself bog down into the clouds, mindful of every freezing second, before he emerged to a field of green. Further came the beast's descent and with him the teen was forced to follow. The trees stopped being little specks and a giant dot of blue grew into a giant lake.

The lake, Henry thought, aim for the lake.

And that was exactly what the teen did. He struggled and struggled, yanking and pulling with his free arm every chance he got. He slapped the beast. He bit at it. He ignored all the pain flaring from his shoulder in favor of escape. Then he noticed that blood was still pouring.

He looked at the animal's talons, noticing for the very first time that the blood was black in nature. He followed the trail until he saw the middle talon, an arrow poking where flesh meets nail.

Henry pulled his right hand into the biggest fist he could make. He gather all of his energy and patience and quickly swung with all his might. He hit the arrow perfectly. It disappeared into flesh never to be seen again.

A giant screech pierced the night. Henry felt himself drop down to the water. He embraced the cold wind whipping every inch of skin. He looked towards the sky in search of the beast that carried him. A giant black spot attracted the eye right before he was engulfed in water.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma banged the door in hurry to rush out of the farmhouse. She was just in time to watch the Chevy do a complete 180 and fly up mud in its haste to disappear. The sheriff pointed her gun and groaned. The car was too far away to hit now. So she raced for her truck, Killian barely on her heels.

"What's going on, Swan?" he asked.

He looked to the Chevy running away. His ocean blue eyes grew wide and he was scrambling for the truck too. He had just managed to get in when Emma put the car in gear.

"He's back," Emma said.

So many emotions were flaring to the surface. She couldn't pinpoint which one was dominant. She only knew that anger and confusion were battling for control. She also wanted to get the person in that car and question them relentlessly.

"I see that," Killian said, "Could you slow down? I want to catch him but I would prefer to keep my dashing good looks first!"

Emma hit the clutch and switched the gear into third. She grinned as the car struggled to outrace them in the mud. Her tires were designed to catch anything and everything. That car was designed for the streets. She would catch him and finally have her answers.

The car veered left, sloppily slipping its rear tires. For a moment Emma thought it would careen over. Just for a second it looked as though the car would lose control and the mystery would finally be revealed. But there was no such luck. Instead the driver pulled the car under control again and found a patch of gravel.

Killian flinched as the stones whipped towards them. The gravel bounced off of everything as the yellow truck continued to pull forward. The ting-ting sound was almost music to the sheriff's ears. She knew this town and she knew this road better than everyone except David. This road would lead them to the park and just beyond that was the Merry Men's camp.

Then a rock flew up and hit the windshield, shattering half of the passenger side. Emma was now fuming. Not only was the person evading her for no reason. Now she had a broken windshield in need of repairs. She revved the engine, clutched the car and put it in gear yet again. Her foot braced the gas with all of its might.

"Swan, look out!"

Emma noticed the yellow streak in the nick of time. She pulled left, nearly tipping the truck in the process. Only her fancy footwork saved them from disaster. With a few quick tugs of muscle memory the car was put in park and the emergency brake kept it from falling into the park ditch. She watched as the red taillights disappeared down the drive.

"Alright Swan?" Killian asked, "Emma, are you alright?"

"Hmm," Emma said, "Oh. Yeah I'm fine. You?"

"Still dashingly handsome as always," he replied.

Emma slapped him in the shoulder, but the giggles escaped without warning. Her face had broken out in a smile and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her green eyes flickered to where the car disappeared. A sudden sadness enveloped her heart.

"What did we hit?" She asked.

Killian wasn't looking at her so his reply was muffled. She could make out "car" and "didn't hit" but nothing else came clear. So the sheriff opened her door and put her feet on solid ground. She took three steps around the car before a wave of nausea washed over her. There, standing three feet away from her was a little boy and his giant yellow ball.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Henry felt cold spikes shooting at him from all angles. His body fell through sparkling glass, disrupting the water. Still his mind kicked in. His arms began moving on their own. He found the light and swam towards it.

His mouth and nose were the first to break the surface. His arms propelled him up and refused to stop. He was half-way up when he finally took a gulp of air. His body came crashing back down into the ice a moment later. His head was swallowed right back up.

His next bob through the surface was less panicked, less rushed. He took his time to wade and inhale the stale bitter air of summer nights. His brown eyes darted to the sky, looking for the beast that took him away from his home.

It was then that he noticed the blue eyes. The same blue eyes that were in the words were now searching frantically in the sky above. The teen watched in horror as he realized why they were so odd.

Attached to the blue eyes was a giant owl. Its wings looked big enough to rival that of the Chernabog. Its yellow beak clicked and squeaked in search of its prey. It was coming closer and closer with even spin of its tail. It made circles over the water, blue eyes steady on one thing.

Henry didn't scream when he made the connection. He just forced his arms to pump faster. His legs came out from under him, kicking perfectly from behind. The heavy clothes and shoes bogged him down but he refused to give up. He just kept kicking and swimming to the shore.

He could feel sand, seaweed and dirt mingling into his heavy clothes. Together they began to pull him down. He kicked harder to propel himself forward. His momentum stopped only by his dragging left arm. He wasn't even aware when it stopped working. He just kept kicking and thrashing.

The whirring sound came closer and closer. He screamed his mother's name. He screamed for someone to save him. He screamed with every breath he had. His feet suddenly connected to the shore.

He was just able to stand on his feet when three giant talons wrapped around his torso.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

 _I don't understand_ , Emma thought, _all of the kids are missing._

The little boy seemed unaware of the sheriff's internal thoughts. He was bouncing his giant ball, up and down without a care in the world. Until he bounced his ball a little too far away, hitting Emma's boots.

It was then that the sheriff began to observe the child for what he was. He was no older than four or five at best. He had a mop of wild brown hair unkempt and impossible to tame. He looked at her with wide brown eyes.

"Roland?" Emma gasped.

But the little boy smiled and no dimples dented his cheeks. He rushed forward on tiny legs and slammed himself into her body with childish abandon. Then brown eyes looked up to her, looking far more hazel now that her hopes were dashed.

He's taller than Roland too, Emma couldn't help but note.

"Hello Princess Emma," the boy said, "What brings you to the forest today?"

Then his brown eyes scrunched up in fear. He looked left, then right. His little head ducked down and he whispered, in a voice both soft and low.

"Are you catching some bad guys?"

It was then that Emma felt a pang in her heart because this child's voice reminded her of Henry. When he was ten, his voice was high and mighty too. It was a melody she had often found comforting. She often found the boy's curiosity insatiable and felt drawn to his beliefs despite everything she grew up knowing to be true. And this boy seemed able to make her believe in curses too.

"Sort of," she said, "I'm actually looking for other boys and girls. Do you know where I might find any of the missing children?"

The boy frowned creating yet another difference between him and Roland. His little eyebrows fully connected into a deep 'v' while Roland's brows only created a third dimple. This child's features even morphed with less light when an idea struck him.

"Yeah," he said, "Follow me!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her along. Into the forest they went, jumping over rocks and fallen trees. The light pattering of rain made it sound like a rainforest with the way water rebounded on the leaves and branches. But the water seemed unable to touch them the deeper they went.

It was then, only when the music of the forest came to its symphonic peak that they stopped. The boy dragged her into a grand clearing of trailers and small houses. Pavement lines the doublewides, tiny pinpricks of grass littering every crack and crevice.

"The trailer park?" Emma gasped, "The children are here?"

The little boy nodded and released her hand. He then proceeded to run into the awaiting arms of some red haired woman Emma could barely remember. He squealed in delight as he was thrown high into the air. Other children heard the sounds and raced to meet him. He roared mightily. The children, six boys and four girls, screamed in play. Then they ran throughout the trailer park in a hurry to not be caught in their new game.

It was as Emma Swan followed them with her eyes that she became aware of a familiar face in the park. Standing proudly with the other men was none other than Robert Rothman himself. And he acted as if he was friends with them.

Then blue eyes connected with green and for a moment, Emma Swan saw another flash of black.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Henry's eyes broke open to a burst of glaring sun. The yellow light seared into his skull as he strove to look away. He found himself staring a lonely cave wall, lacking moss and any indication of where he might be.

A crackling began to assault the ears. The teen turned left, grabbing his ears to keep the loud noises away. It was then that he found the steady glow of a warm fire. A black stick began poking it into submission. A quick look up and Henry felt confusion turn into boiling rage.

"Rothbart!" He said it like a curse.

The man in question merely chuckled in reply, a light boisterous laugh that filled the small cavern with its percussion. His red cape was hanging over a branch near the cavern's mouth. It was then that Henry noticed the tiny dots of light pouring throughout the cave.

"So the young king told you about me."

His rasping voice startled the teen into looking at him, observing every inch of the sorcerer before him. His black tunic was now gone. Black armor stood proudly on his shoulders. His boots were no longer caked in mud. A black crown was draped angelically on his head. And his blue eyes were now black as they stared back.

"Robin's not a king," Henry replied.

The boisterous laughter that followed sent shivers up his spine. The friendly man from the store was gone. Now a madman sat in his placed, drenched in finery that didn't match his outdoor setting. Still Henry didn't find anything funny about the situation.

"His parents are dead," Rothbart explained, "The king died tragically as I'm sure you know. And his mother, well… I held her last breath in these very hands."

The man laughed once more and Henry was certain of his madness. He back away to the furthest edge. He understood why Robin feared him. He even understood why there was so much anger there. This was the man that made Robin Hood an outlaw to begin with.

"I banished them you see," Rothbart said, "I drove them from my kingdom's shores. Then that bastard dared to come back, dared to challenge my right to the throne. I would have killed him had that blasted Rumpelstiltskin not interfered. But magic always comes with a price as that young prince soon found out."

Henry's brown eyes darted to the red cape, measuring the distance. He was certain he could make it without being noticed. His moms were dating a thief and a pirate. His grandparents were Snow White and Prince Charming. The Dark One was his other grandfather. And he had Regina Mills and Emma Swan as his moms. If anybody could get out, it would be him.

"I wouldn't do that," Rothbart said.

His black eyes bored into him like black holes. He was grinning from ear to ear. And his stick was now a burning iron rod, gleaming red in invitation.

"Magic always comes with a price," Rothbart said.

Henry gulped and immediately rethought his plan. His family would come. Of that he had no doubt. But they were unprepared for their opponent. He had magic unfamiliar to them. Robin was the only one who even knew who Rothbart was and he wouldn't hesitate to tell his mom when her son was in danger. He just had to buy himself time.

"So," Henry said, "Why am I here?"

Rothbart chuckled. He blew lightly on the iron rod in his hand red smoke curling all around it. When the smoke cleared a new crown stood in its place, one of thorns entwined with a snake eating its tail. His black eyes held a blue huge as they stared at the magical crown.

"You little prince," Rothbart said, "Are very important to my plan. You are going to get me my crown."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The moment passed just as quickly as it began. Emma watched as Rothman's blue eyes returned to his captivated audience. He bowed his head, shaking each and every hand before casually making his way back to the sheriff.

"What did I miss?"

Emma jumped at the sound of Killian's voice. Quickly she grabbed his hand and directed him to the children running amok. She watched his jaw dropped in awe of the news. Then a charming, dashing smile found home on his lips.

"Of course the bloody gypsies would still have their kids," he said.

The sheriff smiled bitterly in amusement. She was glad to have found some small children in Storybrooke but she was hoping to have better news than this. Her own son was still among those not found and it was killing her. And of course Mr. Rothman was heading their way.

"We meet again," he said by way of greeting.

Killian immediately obliged the man with another handshake. He even elbowed Emma in the ribs to get her to do the same. A silent glaring contest continued before the sheriff relented to her deputy. She tried her best not to grimace at his hard grip.

"So Mr. Rothman," she said, "How long have you known children were here?"

The accusation in her voice surprised everyone, even her. But the damage had already been done and she spent enough time with the mayor to not back down. So it was no surprise that Rothman looked affronted by the accusations. Nor was it a surprise that Killian forced another elbow into her ribs.

"I'm sorry?" Rothman coughed, "I don't understand. I thought we were only looking for a small few. How many children are missing?"

"Apparently all with the exception of the gypsies," Killian said.

This time it was Emma's elbow in his ribs. She sent him a firm glare when he dared to make a sound. Then she quirked an eyebrow; silently reminding him that as deputy, he wasn't supposed to talk about active investigations with their citizens.

"But I saw some little ones at the bank just yesterday," Rothman said, "Surely there must be some mistake."

Emma frowned at this new piece of information.

"Yesterday?" She asked.

The children had been missing for a full week now. There was no possible way children were popping up out of nowhere. Unless the missing children all had something in common.

"Yes," Rothman said, "Come by my work tomorrow and I will be glad to help you out. We go through suckers like you wouldn't believe because of grabby little hands. And how can you say no to a child?"

He laughed, boisterous as always. Emma felt his happiness move over her like a soothing balm. She felt hope bubbling in her chest. They were getting closer.

"Now where did you park?" Rothman asked, "I'll be happy to drive you over."

The sheriff's cheeks burned as she remembered her truck. With such a busted windshield it was unsafe for her to drive around. She and Killian were going to have to get a tow truck back into town. And she couldn't remember where she put her cellphone.

"A bit of an accident by the park," said Killian, "One of the little ones nearly ran out in front of us. We'll just get a tow, thanks."

"Are you sure?" Rothman asked, "It's no problem to drive you back to town."

"We're fine," Emma said.

Then because it was absolutely bothering her that his presence was here. Because he knew about the children and didn't tell them. Because everything in her gut was screaming at her to do just that.

"Why exactly are you here, Mr. Rothman?" She asked.

"I wish to develop the trailer park," he said, "to make it more suitable for its inhabitants. Unfortunately Mr. Gold seems to have beaten me to the punch. He owns this land and wishes them to vacate immediately. I think he hopes to profit from the resale."

And with a shrug of his shoulders and an "oh well" he was gone.

 _Odd_ , Emma thought. Though for the life of her she couldn't pinpoint why.

Nor did she notice the yellow bug slowly pulling away.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

An arrow burst through the red cape, landing perfectly in the fire below. A purple light began to wrap around the fire. Henry had to shield his eyes from the glow. He was quickly on his feet when his mother stood in the fire pit.

A fireball grew in her hand.

"Get away from my son," she said.

His captor laughed maniacally as always. He merely raised the crown above his head and twisted his wrist. The crown dissolved away in red smoke before reappearing on Henry's head.

Something happened, of what Henry couldn't be sure. His vision filled with images of every painful memory he had. He once again discovered that his mother was the Evil Queen, that she didn't love him at all. He spent days crying over the fact that he was just a pawn in his mother's revenge on Snow White.

He watched as the Evil Queen tried to kill his birth mother. She had joined Rumpelstiltskin, betraying her promise to stop magic, to create a swirling portal of death. Emma told him that his mother killed Dr. Archie Hopper.

Then his mother was telling him good-bye that she wasn't strong enough to stop the trigger. They were all going to die and she was never going to know that he loved, that he always loved her. He felt Greg and Tamara pulling him away from his family, thrusting him out of the mines like he was nothing.

They threw a magic bean in the water, taking him to Neverland.

"Henry, no!" Regina called.

He felt hot tears falling on his cheeks. A steady stream of water disappeared around the corners of his eyes. The blur of colors fell away into an image of his mother, his always loving mother. She was holding on to the crown, screaming in terror. An image of the Queen of Hearts crushing a man's heart appeared to leap right out of her heart.

"Mother, no!" Regina screamed, "Daniel!"

But whatever the next image was it never came to be. Red flames devoured the crown, eating away the image of Regina Mills crying over a lowly stable boy. His mother gasped, chocolate eyes wide with fear and pain. She turned to her son, huffing and puffing in dismay.

"You and I are the same," Rothbart said.

He interrupted the moment between mother and son as if it didn't matter. His black eyes were once again blue as they stared at Henry's mother, greedily soaking her in. HE stepped forward. His hand was extended in offering and he was speaking about apologies and the like. But another arrow soared through the air.

"Get away from my family!" Robin said.

He stood at the mouth of the cavern, red cape burning at his feet. His blue eyes looked black as he gazed at the evil man before him. His bow was strung, arrow poised to kill.

"The boy is not of my blood, Rothbart," the outlaw said,

"Please," the madman replied, "Did you honestly think I didn't test his hair already? No, the little prince was a means to an end."

Rothbart stepped forward as if to touch Henry and his mother. A tight purple glimmer called off just in front of Regina. She glued her left to her son's side. It was then that the warmth of her magic pierced through the teen's cold skin.

"Leave the boy alone," Robin said, "you've no use of him."

"Nor you of her, False King!" Rothbart screamed.

Henry saw his confusion being mimicked on his mother's face. But she said nothing, she only pulled him tight behind her. Then she lit a fireball in her hand. She kept her eyes glued to the madman who tried to steal away her son.

"Be gone," Robin ordered, "Or I warn you Rothbart, I will fire this arrow straight through your heart. I do not care what they think of me. You will haunt my family no longer!"

"I will have my revenge," Rothbart replied.

He stepped forward as if to grab something. An arrow soared through the air disappearing in a puff of red smoke, the madman along with it. The group was left alone to ponder this new villain.

"Oh Henry," Regina said, "Are you okay?"

Henry nodded, unable to come up with words. He watched his mother tsk at his left arm. Then with a gentle touch he could feel the muscle and skin stitching back together. He checked his fingers at his mother's urging, satisfied that they moved when asked. She pulled him into a bear hug.

"Never do that again," she said, "When Robin tells you to leave… just don't argue, okay?"

The teen nodded into her chest. He felt warmth and love wrap around him from every angle. Then more voices called out and he found himself face to face with blonde hair. He was enveloped by Emma Swan and her parents. Then Captain Hook gave him a gentle nudge with his hook. But brown eyes connected with blue and Robin Hood shook.

"He can turn into an owl," Henry said.

Robin simply nodded in reply.

"He called you a king," the teen said.

"A false king," Regina added.

All eyes turned the outlaw's way. He bowed his head, scratching just behind his right ear. He coughed a few times before shuffling his feet together. His fingers leapt forward, entwining nervously.

"I'm no king," he said, "He just thinks I am."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"I don't know."

But Henry knew that was lie.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The tow truck dropped them off on Main Street without even a question. Apparently Emma had saved their family from one of Storybrooke's many disasters. Their son was among the missing but they had high hopes she would find them before too long. They shared jokes and stories and a promise to chat more when Emma's truck was fixed no later than Wednesday of the next week.

"Don't be strangers now," the man said.

He drove off leaving the sheriff and her deputy in high spirits. But of course they could never stay that way for long. Twin smiles turned to frowns as they took in the quietness of the evening.

"It's odd, isn't it?" Emma asked, "That he didn't tell us about the kids."

"From the way he spoke I think he was rather surprised we didn't know," Killian said, "Maybe he had assumed they were at the meeting. You know how long the meetings can be. Everyone sneaks out at some point for a light snack. Bloody hell, I left and returned with three boxes of doughnuts and you didn't even notice."

The sheriff nodded her head. Perhaps she was being paranoid. Then again, her family seemed the only one plagued with missing adults as well as children. Maybe that was a factor.

"Don't worry, love," Killian said, "You'll find them. It's what your family does."

Emma grabbed Killian's hand, kissing him on the cheek with gratitude. Together they began the familiar journey to Granny's diner to give David the news. The lights shone bright as they reveled in their contentment. They even acted as lovers do, swinging their arms and making weird jokes about their pasts. But something at the edges of Emma's vision forced curiosity to do its job.

There standing on the curb as if it had been there for decades was the forest green Chevy they'd been looking for. It stood their teasing Emma with its pristine color and chuckling chrome. And Emma's happy face fell into a deep angry frown. Her feet moved of their own accord, stomping towards the offensive vehicle in hopes of finding its owner.

"Emma, look out!" Killian called.

But the sheriff didn't hear him. So caught up in her thoughts was she that she failed to even notice anything else around her. She didn't see the light speeding towards her. Nor did she hear the steady roar of a thriving engine. She was completely unaware of the impending danger until a giant wall hit her square in the back and forced her from the road.

"Dammit, Swan!" Killian said.

Emma silently cursed her boyfriend with every word she knew. The entire right side of her body was now flaring in varying degrees of pain. She felt a hook piercing indelicately into the small of her back. Her neck felt like it had been hit repeatedly with a baseball bat. Her hands stung with the steady burn of pavement.

She pushed her boyfriend off of her immediately. She turned her blazing anger towards the only other target available. Her vicious snarl and heated words were aiming towards the new target with ease.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She said.

The image before her was of a leather clad being. The high stiletto boots decorating her feet and shins suggested a woman. The snug fitting leather pants and deep black leather jacket also confirmed the diagnosis. So it was with only slight surprise that when the helmet came off a waterfall of sharp strawberry blonde hair fell out.

"Sorry dear. Almost didn't see you."

Her voice had a slight foreignness to it though it was definitely American. Her strawberry blonde hair hanged in a rage of rivulets around her perfectly plump, dimpled cheeks. Bright blue eyes pierced into Emma's soul as she was met with ruby red lips and barely there freckles.

"You almost killed me," Emma said.

She was about to yell the young woman's head off. She even thought about raising her fist and taking strike. But there was something about the redhead that felt familiar. A flash of perfect pearly whites and Emma suddenly felt the urge to scream and cry out in joy all at the same time.

Black leather gloves were ripped away, revealing perfectly manicured purple fingernails. The redhead daintily bit into one glove to remove the other. She then carefully placed them in a neat gathering in her black knapsack. The blue eyes flashed with amusement as she took in the sheriff and her deputy.

"Nonsense," the redhead said, "Your dashing boy toy had given you plenty of warning. It's not my fault you were too busy to pay attention to the road."

Emma scowled at the biker. She even opened her mouth with an icy retort. But the girl smiled and Emma was lost to those dimples. A pang of guilt and longing swelled within her heart. She suddenly was caught up in the image of a dimpled little boy twirling around with her in the middle of the park, his parents laughing as he demanded magic bubbles to swirl along with them.

Henry had taken so many pictures that day. He and Roland had conspired against the adults, forcing them into a family picnic and a day of fun. It was probably the first day off anybody had in weeks and the children loved every minute of it. Now that day was stained with so many happy faces now missing.

"What do you want?" Emma asked instead, her voice waspish to her own ears.

The smile faltered but the stranger didn't seem too concerned. She shrugged her shoulders and continued shaking out her strawberry curls. Her bottom lip fell between her top teeth. Her blue eyes looked between them searchingly. Then she divulged her purpose.

"Is this Storybrooke?"

The question was yet another gut-punch. This time the memory was of her first year in Storybrooke, Henry was merely ten. Together they were just starting to become a family. And then some stranger showed up, the first stranger to enter the town since Emma herself. A friendship was born from that one encounter, lost now to the boy no longer wooden.

"Aye," Killian said, "Have you been searching for us?"

"Aye," the redhead mocked, "I'm looking for a place to stay. Got any ideas?"

"Granny's," Emma replied automatically, "Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just down the road. Take a left and you can't miss it. It's right behind Granny's diner."

The redhead smiled, showcasing those dimples yet again. Her bright blue eyes shimmered with a special glow. She quickly shook out her curls again and nodded.

"A comfortable bed and a good place to eat," she said, "What luck!"

The woman gave Killian a quick wink before climbing back onto her bike. She started swirling her hair around to one side. Then she reached those perfectly purple fingernails towards her helmet.

"You got a name?" Emma asked, too shocked to think of anything else.

"Yup," she said.

Together they waited for the next step to arrive. But the redhead just laughed at them, as if to her this was all just some silly game. She shook her curls one last time and prepared to put her helmet back on.

"What is it?" Killian asked.

"Annie," the woman said, "Annie Hart."

The redhead then plopped her helmet back on her head. She quickly revved her engine and kicked off. She raced in the direction of Granny's barely obeying the traffic laws.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked.

"I believe," Killian replied, "We have a stranger in our midst."

The uh-oh of his words was all but implied. And Emma couldn't help but agree.

 _Uh-oh indeed._

* * *

 **In the next chapter:**

There's a griffin loose in Storybrooke and strangers in town. Will Emma reveal the truth about magic? Or will our heroes be forced to face a different kind of horror entirely? Meanwhile, Snow and Charming are on a mission to save their family once and for all.


	5. A Crown of Thorns

**A/N:** _If you want a sneak peek or just to heckle me with when the next chapter comes; please feel free to PM me. I do not complain when people ask questions. If there is any confusion, let me know. I can't improve my story-telling if everybody can't understand what I am trying to convey. And as always... enjoy._

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

It was well past midnight. No sound or light could be seen. So the man moved in the shadows, his favorite place. With a small wave of his hand red smoke appeared. One of his soldiers presented him with a small object, a tiny pendent of an unusual animal.

The enchanter quickly withdrew a brand new device. From his chest pocket he removed a silver dagger. He moved the dagger three times clockwise over the pendent, whispering words of enchantment. He then touched the object once and moved the dagger counterclockwise. Red smoke plummeted forth from the dagger like lava from a volcano.

A giant screech could be heard along with the man's boisterous laughs.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The truck was finally ready and Emma Swan was more than eager to get it back. A week driving around town her father's truck was a horrible experience. She was forced to ride around with the man, disheartened by his lonely house. And soon she would have a moment of peace at last.

She just had to survive breakfast first.

"No I'll pay it's the least I can do," David said.

Her father and her boyfriend were arguing over breakfast. If she wasn't in such a hurry to get her truck, she would laugh. David had moved in with them temporarily due to their lack of transportation. Emma also hated the idea of him staying in the loft all alone. And because she and Killian were so nice, her father offered to leave as soon as they got her truck.

Of course they told him he could stay as long as he wanted.

"Please, David," Killian said, "You bought us lunch, dinner and breakfast yesterday. Allow me the honor."

Sometimes Emma missed the days when the two main men in her life were enemies. But every time she missed the good old days she thought of Henry. It always sent a swell of pain through her heart to think of her missing son. David without her mother was nothing more than a shell. They both were worried about their family and any chance they had to be normal was more than welcome.

"Well it's the least I can do considering you're letting me stay in your house for the week," David replied.

"Not for the week dad," Emma was quick to interrupt, "You're staying until we find Mom and Neal."

"Aye," Killian said, "We all know what it's like to come home to an empty house."

David paused, his features falling into sadness for a moment. Then a familiar twinkle filled his sky blue eyes. He stared straight at Killian. A small smile began to explode on his face.

"It does make it easier to keep your hook off of my daughter," he said.

Killian's face soured immediately at the implication. Emma laughed and enjoyed herself for once. After days of endless agony and worry over missing family members, hours spent under the mayor's vicious tongue; she finally earned a moment of pure bliss with the two men she loved most in the world.

So naturally it was when the sheriff was at her happiest that a new shoe would drop.

The diner door swung open and nobody thought a thing about it. Emma didn't even give it a second glance until she noticed her father's sky blue eyes, wide with something other than terror. He was staring at the door mouth agape with shock and curiosity. Emma turned around and found her jaw dropping the exact same way.

Two black Milano pumps adorned perfect cream colored ankles. A purple dress of velvet hugged over perfect curves. Perfectly manicured purple nails clung tight to a black clutch proudly displaying the name Prada. An amethyst pendent stood front and center on a graceful cream neck. Soft red hair was tossed into a bundle of curls on the right side of her head. Her face shined as the strange woman took in the diner. And two perfect dimples dented the cheeks of the red-lipped Annie Hart.

"Who's that?" David asked.

"We don't know," Emma was stunned to reply.

Together father and daughter watched as the strange girl sat down at the bar, smiling at everything she saw. She looked overly excited as she ordered her food. She even offered to pay without breaking for air. For every movement she made, Emma felt a sense of familiarity pull something in the back of her mind.

"Her name's Annie Hart," Killian said, "She's the one we told you about."

"What is she doing here?" David asked.

"We don't know," Emma said.

"Then let's go find out," Killian said.

He smiled his dashing smile. He stood from the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the diner. He held out his hand and Emma gladly took it. She rose to join him in greeting their newest citizen. It was then that she found herself staring into the depths of brightest blue.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

To say Prince Charming was frustrated would be more than an understatement.

"You can't be serious?"

It was a certainty.

"Regina," Charming huffed, rolling his eyes for possibly the third time since the conversation began, and "We don't know who this Lord Rothbart is. And since Robin won't tell us anything about him I think you and the kids would be safer-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, David Nolan" Regina replied voice icy as sin, "I swear I will not be held accountable for my actions if you do."

"We don't know if we can trust him," Charming said.

"It's Robin."

Regina scoffed at him. Chocolate eyes rolled to the back of her head and back again. She grabbed her purse and started gathering her coat. The prince was quick to place a gentle, reassuring hand to stop her in her tracks.

"It's not Robin I don't trust," Charming was quick to explain, "It's the fact that he's not telling us anything about Lord Rothbart!"

"He doesn't have to," Regina said.

She gave him a scathing look, one of both fire and ice battling for control. She then removed her hand from his firm grasp. She proceeded to pick up every inch of baby supplies she had left, diaper bag and baby carrier in tow. She opened the door with a grand huff of indignation.

"Emma, we're leaving," she called.

She waited long enough for the blonde to emerge from the upstairs den. With a firm nod, the queen left. The door slammed on her way out.

"That went well," Emma was quick to point out.

"Oh, David, why couldn't you leave it alone?" Snow said.

Two pairs of green eyes were boring down on him. His daughter's held anger and frustration while his wife was all disappointment. He swallowed thickly and tried to remind them of the cost.

"Don't blame me," the bewildered prince said, "Blame Robin. He's the one keeping Rothbart a secret from all of us."

"Dad," Emma said, "It's not exactly our place to judge. He's just trying to protect us from something horrible in his past. And while I don't agree with it I can't exactly say that I blame him."

"Besides, David," Snow said, "We both know he would never do anything to hurt Regina."

The prince slammed his fist on the counter in frustration.

"That's not the point," he said, "You of all people know how well this family does with secrets. The longer he keeps the truth from us the bigger the explosion. That's how it has always worked with us."

Snow's cheery lips fell into a deep frown. Her lips puckered into tiny cliffs and her chin wobbled just so. Charming could tell his wife wanted to argue the point with him. But Emma's angry glare cooled off into a bright beaming smile. Her left hand flung out and gently clasped his own.

"You're right," his daughter said, "We don't have the best track record with secrets. But you have to remember that Regina is like me. Sure she may have spent longer than 28 years on her own, but those were years she wasn't allowed to be loved. It's going to take her time to get used to the idea of someone caring."

A small smile cracked upon Emma's lips. She gave both of her parents a cheeky wink and grasped the prince's hand just a little tighter.

"Besides, it's my job to bring back the happy endings and you're making it very difficult by getting on her case about her True Love."

A very familiar car horn sounded off before Charming could even hope to reply. The humor vanished from his daughter's eyes. She gave him a gentle squeeze before grabbing her red jacket and sheriff's badge.

"I'll try to talk to her," she said, "Okay?"

He gave her a guilty nod and then she was shooting out the door. A lonely sigh fell from the prince's lips. He heard a soft echo to his right. Snow's baleful green eyes were staring at him, both eyebrows raised exactly like her stepmother's.

"What's the real reason, David?" She asked knowingly.

The lie jumped to his mind immediately. He even had to bite down on his lip to keep it from spewing out. A flicker of amusement appeared in those knowing green eyes.

"I may," he said rather less forcefully than he would have liked, "care about… what happens… to Regina."

A smile brighter than the sun's rays appeared on his glowing wife's face. She arched her eyebrows coyly giving a soft "hmmm" in reply. Then those green eyes flickered back to his, a silent question deep within.

The prince bit his lip again, gnawing away at his words. Snow White was a hero poised to take the throne when the Dark Curse struck. Words came easily to her when nothing else could. It was one of the things he admired most about her. But Prince Charming was anything but eloquent and this was a delicate matter.

"I just," he began, "keep getting this feeling that something bad is about to happen."

He shrugged his shoulders and tried to look anywhere but at his wife. Emotions were hard enough to deal with. The feeling of conflict in his chest was another thing entirely.

It started the day Rothbart first appeared in that drugstore. A giant hole began to take form in the prince's heart. He could feel that hole taking away everything, eating away at the hope, the happiness and the calm. It was a tightness in his chest that refused to let go. And from the moment that vicious villain took Henry that feeling only seemed to grow more and more as the days flew by.

"I know something bad is about to happen," Charming said quietly.

He was surprised to find only silence. Where his wife was great with words, none seemed to come to the well-learned princess of their land. Her green eyes were staring at him with the utmost concern. Her left hand shot out, curling around his.

"David," Snow said, "Nothing is going to happen to our family. We've come too far. Nothing can stop us now."

Then her lips curled into that all too familiar smile. Their daughter's cheeky grin began to form on the originator's mouth. Snow's hand moved away and from her pocket she began to pull out a baby monitor.

"But I think I know what will make you happy," she said, "I think we are due for a little adventure."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

A wave of nausea fluttered through the sheriff's system. For a moment her heart began to race. Her skin tickled with excitement. She felt her cheeks burn at that bright blue stare, those eyes so full of happiness and wonder. But the feeling stopped when words penetrated the air.

"Well hello there sheriff," Annie Hart said, "What can I do for you today?"

She was a bit too chipper for Emma's liking. Even Killian's poker face broke for a moment at the familiar address. This woman for all her appearance had the air of someone extremely familiar, someone with a penchant for green.

"You could tell us what you're doing here in town," David said, "for starters."

Emma glared at her father. The man didn't even look phased. He simply sat next to the redhead in a gruff manner, effectively closing her escape routes off. Even Killian seemed to be shocked by the behavior.

"Excuse me," Annie said, "Who are you?"

"I'm David," the man replied, "the other sheriff."

"The other sheriff?"

The redhead looked confused and Emma couldn't blame her. It was a rare occurrence that a small town had two sheriffs, rarer still only three members of the police department. But the list of choices for officers including the Sheriff of Nottingham and Emma would rather kill the man than face Robin or Regina's wrath. Plus the guy was a downright jerk and a drunk. He spent half of his time behind the bars anyway.

"It's a small town," David explained, "Only one deputy. Crime doesn't happen very often but we have to have coverage in the event of vacation and sick time."

The redhead seemed to find that amusing. Her bright eyes twinkled with mischief. A steady laugh began to stream from her mouth. It was an odd cackle that ended in a not so pristine snort. She covered her mouth and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Apparently she was raised to be a lady.

It was then that Emma took notice of her posture. Her shoulders were pulled back, her back perfectly straight. Her hands looked demure as they sat upon the table, elbows positioned so they were not touching. Her chin never made contact with her neck and Emma was positive that three books would sit perfectly still on the top of her head.

She was so busy observing the girl that she failed to notice the soft smile curling her lips.

"So what brings you to Storybrooke?" David asked again, subtle as a knife in the back.

Annie's soft dimples seemed to get bigger at the question. Her nose crinkled right where her eyes connected. Another soft snort flew from her nose. Her red lips pulled back to reveal perfect white teeth. A manicured hand lightly slapped him on the arm.

"A change of scenery," she said, "I was studying to be a lawyer and I just got the urge to up and run, you know? And here I landed in this quaint little down. I figured I'd stay for a spell and see what comes of it."

David laughed and Emma was aghast to discover it was the same one he used with her mother. A bubbling rage of indignity began to scorch away at her stomach and esophagus. This redhead, this girl, was younger than Emma by at least a decade. And here her father was throwing her the same charm he gave to his wife. No, for Emma Swan that would not do.

"Don't mind David," Emma said, "His wife loves to be first in the gossip. Tell her how long it took the town to find out about baby Neal… She just can't keep a secret that Mary-Margaret Nolan!"

Emma laughed as best as she could. She then sat down right next to the girl and proceeded to glare spitefully towards her father. The man didn't even look ashamed. If anything there was pride in his eyes. Never had Emma wanted to smack him more.

Annie Hart seemed completely oblivious. She was chuckling right along with them as if she was in on the joke. But her bright blue eyes seemed to be observing everything with a knowing gleam. It gave Emma pause as she observed the redhead closer.

"I'm actually looking for a place of employment," Annie said, "You guys wouldn't know anyone hiring, would you?"

"There's always Storybrooke Banking and Loan," Killian said, "They are always looking for temporary help during the summer months."

Emma was pleased to note the tone of suspicion. Her boyfriend too seemed wary of their new visitor. It was probably why he kept his ocean blue gaze keenly looking at the escape routes. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop just like her.

"Oh," Annie said, "I was actually hoping for something a bit more… legal? You see… I come from a long line of family members who work within the specks of the law… I was hoping to carry on the tradition but on a much smaller more rewarding basis."

It was a lie. Emma's whole body was screaming at her in confirmation. Whatever the young woman before her wanted, it wasn't to carry on in the family business. But Storybrooke didn't have many options for lawyers. And working in the legal system would keep the redhead within her sights.

Plus, Jingleheimer and Schmidt's could always use the help.

"Come with us, Ms. Hart," Emma said, "I know just the place."

"Annie, please," the girl cried and she had a surprisingly strong, coarse grip as she shook the sheriff's hand.

"Everybody calls me Annie."

And Emma was surprised to find that was a lie too.

* * *

Storybrooke - Then

When Snow suggested they do their own investigation, Charming did not expect to find himself standing outside of Gold's Pawnshop.

"Absolutely not," he said.

Snow didn't even bother to give him a reply. Her green eyes simply shot him a withering look. He shrugged. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him. She stomped none-too-politely into the shop without a backwards glance.

The prince silently cursed his luck, following behind at a more subdued pace.

The pawnshop looked unreasonably clean. The few traces of dust that usually hung from the rafters were nowhere to be found. The curtains were drawn back, letting the natural light fill in. Standing in a cheery yellow dress with a wonderful beaming smile was Belle their resident center of knowledge.

"Hello," she said still beaming, "What can I do for you two today?"

"Well," Snow said.

She was quick to give Charming a purposeful glare. Her green eyes narrowed slightly in warning. Then her red lips tilted up into a broad smile. She practically pranced on her way to Belle and the awaiting counter.

"David and I were hoping to speak with Mr. Gold," Snow said.

"Actually," Charming was quick to speak despite his wife's glares, "I was promised an adventure. We want to…"

"To know about this Lord Rothbart and his history with the great outlaw Robin Hood."

Rumpelstiltskin stepped into his shop from the back, a crocodile smile on his features. His knowing eyes darted from husband to wife and back again in quick succession. His dark eyes gleamed with amusement. He seemed utterly happy at their lack of knowledge on the situation.

"Yes," the Dark One said, "I suppose you would want to know that, wouldn't you? But may I suggest asking your honorable outlaw. I'm sure he would love to tell you all about their… sticky history."

His knowing gaze simply grew impossibly wider. Once again he was the dark imp who controlled the board of life. He was taunting them as he had when first they met. He even gave that steady hum of laughter that grated on the nerves and sent shivers up and down the spine.

Charming stepped forward using his three inch height difference to the fullest. He towered over the older man, attempting to look far more threatening. He failed. The Dark One simply looked more playful than before.

"I'm afraid that well of knowledge has run dry, dearies," he said.

The prince cursed the man, disdain filling his every breath. A sudden hot lava rage embroiled his chest. His hands began to tremble and sweat swiped his brow. He lunged forward out of impatience. His teeth were bared and he was ready for a fight.

"Enough with the games, Gold," Charming said, "You know something and I demand you tell us."

"David," Snow sounded scandalized.

"No," Charming said, "He knows something and if he expects us to just back down he's wrong. Tell us what you know, Dark One!"

"And what do I get in return?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

"Rumple," Belle warned.

Her cheery demeanor fled. She now stared between her husband and the prince in disgust. Her blue-green eyes switched between the two of them, calculating the conversation with tight-locked lips. The fingers of her left hand drummed impatiently on the counter.

"You will help us save Regina," the prince said.

He winced at the commanding tone of his own voice. He could feel his wife's disapproving stare. But rage kept boiling under the surface. His instincts were begging him to take his family and flee. The only problem was half of his family would stay behind with the thief who seemed the cause of their troubles. And the prince refused to allow this dark imp standing before him in omnipotent power to stand in the way of protecting his family.

"You know why Rothbart is here," Charming said.

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "But what does that have to do with protecting Regina?"

He gave a self-gratified grin and started walking away from the counter. The prince couldn't control himself. He latched out at the man, grabbing his left arm in a tight grasp. He practically sneered as those dark eyes turned gold.

"Careful, dearie," Rumple said, "You're trying my patience."

"What do you want?" Charming said, "What is your price for this information?"

"Well now that you mentioned it," the Dark One said.

He gave the shepherd-prince a bright beaming smile. It was then that Charming realized his mistake. The imp wanted to try at his patience. He wanted his anger to cloud his judgement. The Dark One wanted him helpless to the task.

"Rumple," Belle warned again.

This time her blue-green eyes narrowed into slivers. Her arms crossed against her chest. Her breath became short, sharp shocks of air. Her cheeks even colored with anger.

"Relax," Rumple said, "The information I offer is for a very simple price."

"What?" Snow asked.

Charming closed his eyes and released a slow shaky breath. His wife's tone was mutinous. She had every intention of killing him, he was certain. He could practically feel her green gaze penetrating his skull. The headache of their impending argument began to form.

"Belle's protection," the Dark One replied, "and my own."

The Dark One's golden eyes narrowed at Charming's disbelieving scoff. He was the most powerful being in Storybrooke. None could defeat him, not after his latest betrayal. He had the power of all dark ones running through his veins. How was Prince Charming supposed to believe this Lord Rothbart could do him harm?

"Believe it or not," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Rothbart and I have a… complicated history. It's best if I prepare for anything and everything where he is concerned. As much as his interest in my grandson wounds me, I know the real threat has yet begun. That man is one of my far more elaborate pupils."

 _Of course_ , Charming thought bitterly, _the newest psycho had to have a dabble with the resident evil they could never be rid of._

"Deal," Snow said, "Now tell us what we need to know."

This time it was Rumpelstiltskin's turn to huff indignantly. He gave a saddened glance to his wife, eyes fading back to their usual dark color. A bitter scowl appeared on his face. He gave a slight twist of his left pointer finger. An object from his collection jumped from the shelf.

"I cannot give you the information you seek," he said.

Charming simply rolled his eyes, biting his tongue to keep at bay his ungrateful reply. His wife gave him a knowing look. He bit his cheek to keep his temper.

"But what I can give you is a quest that will keep his plans from their goal."

Rumpelstiltskin presented his tiny bauble with pride. It was a simple necklace, a black silk of string. It was perfectly normal and unimpressive on the mind. The only thing of note was the pendant hanging from its silk string. It was a golden griffin holding a ruby in its impressive claws.

"What is this?" Snow demanded her voice a little shrill on everyone's ears.

"A griffin," Rumpelstiltskin sighed, "But more importantly, this is how you will find the thing your enemy seeks. And the answers you need."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The trip was just a walk across the street. Both the bank and the public law firm were next door to each other. It was one of the reason's Emma insisted on leading the redhead there herself. It allowed her to take care of two birds with one stone… well, three technically.

"Killian, you help Annie get everything settled with Jingleheimer," Emma said, "Da-uh-David can help me at the bank. We have to talk to Mr. Rothman today anyways."

"Are you sure?" Killian asked.

Emma shot her father another spiteful glare to make certain he kept quiet. Then she politely smiled at her boyfriend and nodded her head.

"Yeah," she said, "We have to talk to him about the… thing anyway, remember?"

Blessedly Killian Jones always knew when to play along. He smiled and nodded his head. He even gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and a tender wink. The action alone sent Annie Hart into a frenzy of questions about the rules of sheriffs dating their deputies. Killian was barely keeping up with the stream when the door closed shut behind them.

"What was that about?" David asked.

Emma calmly ignored him. She roughly swung open the door of the only bank in town and bit back a smile when the door hit her father's hand. She tried to keep her temper in check when he dared to question her actions yet again. But then he gave her his stupid knowing smirk, the one he clearly learned from her mother, and she exploded.

"What the hell was that?" Emma accused, "We barely know the woman and you're already flirting with her? You're married… to my mother by the way!"

Her father's smile only grew wider which in turn made her temper rise.

"And another thing," she said, "I'm the one who does the questioning around here. I was hired as sheriff first and you were only hired on during my temporary absence in the Enchanted Forest. You can't keep calling yourself the sheriff when clearly that's not what a normal town does."

"Normal towns also have more than one deputy," David said, "and let's not forget to mention that I am also happily married to your mother, our other mayor, by the way."

"I don't care," Emma said and she was surprised that her father's reassurance was exactly what she needed. Damn him.

"You don't go around flirting with other women," she said, "Especially women who are younger than both me and my mother because it's just weird and… it's just weird, okay!"

Her father smiled again.

"Don't laugh at me," Emma said, "This is serious. You're not supposed to laugh when your daughter is having a very serious conversation with you."

He bit his bottom lip but the damage was already done. His chest was shaking with laughter. Tiny pinpricks of noise were tearing from his tight lips. Emma felt her cheeks burn in agony.

"This isn't funny!" She growled.

"It's pretty funny actually," he said and he laughed all the louder, "How many father's get to experience their daughter's threatening them on behalf of their mother."

This time his laughter reverberated off of the walls. Emma felt her cheeks burning even more with every sound. People were beginning to stare now. All eyes were glued to the two of them, the only source of noise in the place. Both sheriffs were on full display and the whole town seemed pleased.

"Shhh," one woman said.

She had a soft grin on her face but the Charmings were easily chastened. Her little boy kept looking at them both while noisily licking away at his lollipop. Emma followed his chubby faced grin as he and his mother walked all the way through the bank and out of the door.

"Sheriff Swan," Rothman's familiar voice said, "and Sheriff Nolan, to what pleasure do I owe your fine visit today?"

He was standing at the top of the stairs. Here his silk suit fit in nicely with the rest of the décor. Polished black Mahogany wood lined a golden staircase, portraits of Rothman's predecessors hung on the descending wall. Crystalline chandeliers towered from the ceilings, gold and shimmering with light despite the black interior. Golden frames decorated each and every portrait in the building. Desks peeked out through a glass railing on the second floor balcony. And one black bear rug lined the lower floor.

The teller booths were sleek in design, black just like everything else but with gold plating to exude trustful expense. Golden railings line the expense bear rug and stood firm against small chewing mouths. In line there stood three families, mothers and children together in wait for their daily money transactions.

Emma was aghast to find giant gold and black vases lining the walls, owl feathers sticking out of them.

 _His taste sure is unique_ , she thought.

"Who are all of these people?" She asked instead.

Both her father and Rothman looked at her in confusion. Rothman even descended the last of the twenty-eight steps to give her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. They seemed to find her confusion startling. Until Rothman's blue eyes filled with light and he burst out laughing.

"Oh Sheriff Swan," he shook his head as he spoke, "You've been here so long now that I keep forgetting. You don't work normal hours. Unlike your father here."

He slapped David on the shoulder congenially. Together they shared a laugh at her expense. Then it was David who was slapping him in the arm before he spoke.

"Some of them are citizens of other kingdoms," her father explained, "I know you haven't met them because you weren't here for the last two transitions. Half are citizens transferred in Regina's initial curse… the others came because of your mother's and mine."

Emma nodded at her father's reply, but her eyes were glued to Rothman. He seemed enthralled by David's every word. And his blue eyes shimmered with merriment when he mentioned the two dark curses. But Emma was quick to just shrug it off. Of course the guy would find it amusing, half the town did nowadays.

"I must say I definitely prefer running water," Rothman said, "And the lack of fleas is simply a bonus. I should really thank the mayor when next I see her. The best thing she's ever done was curse our land."

The statement pulled the laughter away from David's lips. His sky blue eyes turned to look at the banker with keen interest. His head even tilted to the left in concentration. His eyes suddenly took on a slight glaze before he was bouncing back to laughing in time with Rothman again.

"We'll keep that in mind next time we see her," David said.

Emma bit her lip, frustration clawing away at her insides once again.

"I thought she was locked away?" Rothman said, "Falling back to old happens I believe."

"A curse," David said, "Apparently she's forgotten everything except Henry. She's under the impression she's the Evil Queen. She hasn't acted that way in years."

"Well we really must be going," Emma interrupted immediately.

She shot her father another warning glare before he dug his hole a little bit further. His face grew contrite with the silent command. Then he was shaking hands with the banker as if they were old friends.

"Sorry if we interrupted whatever it was you were working on," Emma said, "I just figured I'd stop by and see for myself how many children there were in Storybrooke."

"Oh no problem at all sheriff," Rothman said, "and sheriff, come by anytime. I would love a good chat. It's so hard catching up with people these days. Things seem busier than ever."

"Right, well," Emma signaled her father to go, "We really must be going."

The blonde couldn't exactly pinpoint why but she needed to get out of there. Her stomach was roiling with dread. She could practically feel the panic rising in her veins. A little ball of anger and hysteria seemed to curl within her heart and only grew into a soft lump as they grew closer to the door. Naturally it was when her hand hit the handle that even that failed to be enough.

"I heard the most bizarre rumor today," Rothman said, "that there was another stranger in town."

 _Another?_ Emma thought with panic flooding her system.

She barely had time to register that her hands were sweating. Her always helpful father swung around and gave the banker his jolly reply. She watched as he waved his hand and animatedly shrugged his shoulders.

"It's nothing to worry about," David said, "Her name is Annie Hart and she seems like a very nice young lady. She's thinking about staying for a while. Emma and I just helped her find a job."

It was the worst thing in the world to do, but Emma slammed her foot onto her father's anyway. She ignored his little yelp and bit down on the vomit that suddenly wanted to come forth. She gave the banker a twisted sort of grin.

"She seems nice," she said, "I'm sure we won't be seeing much of her for long though. She's a bit too… proper for the town."

"What do you mean?" Rothman asked.

 _Of course_ , Emma bitterly thought.

"She has…" David struggled with his words. Emma was shocked to find his eyes were glassy once again. As she took careful note, the fog flittered away and he was grinning once again.

"An expensive taste," her father finished with a wave, "I'm sure you'll notice her soon. You can't miss her what with that red hair and all."

Emma felt another wave of nausea invade her body. Her hands worked on their own accord to release the door's springs. The door opened and she was already pushing her father through its cracks. She looked back with an apologetic grin, noticing Rothman's blue eyes flash black before the door slammed shut.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The necklace was useless. That was the only possible reason for why they were running around the woods without any idea of their destination. Prince Charming wanted to go back to the pawnshop and ring that evil man's neck until his questions were answered.

 _No wonder Regina calls him imp_ , he thought.

His mood was not brightened by the accompaniment of his wife. On the contrary, Snow White seemed equally invested in wasting his time. She led them astray at least five times and the prince knew for a fact that she was doing it on purpose. Snow was the best tracker they had, when not compared to Robin Hood. He was on the verge of choking her to death too when at last she spoke.

"It's not working."

He bit down on his lip to keep from biting her head off. It wasn't exactly her fault Rumpelstiltskin sent them on a wild goose chase. The Dark One constantly fooled them with his ulterior motives. But the prince knew that whatever the necklace was supposed to do, it would help them because it would help him.

"Maybe we should have brought Emma with us," Charming said.

The glare on his wife's face made him question his own sanity. She had suggested that play two hours ago when they first started their little adventure. So her petulant frown and angry growl were more than understandable. He just wished they had purchased a better couch.

"I'm calling her," Snow said.

Charming was quick to stop his wife's dialing fingers. He grabbed away her phone and calmly stared down the deadly glare. The phone slid into his pocket easily.

"You call her now and she's going to tell Regina," the prince said, "This was your idea, Mary-Margaret. What do you think she'll do to us when she finds out why Rumpelstiltskin sent us out here in the first place?"

"I'll simply tell her it was to ease my husband's outrageous mind," Snow shouted, "For God's sakes David you've been acting like a bomb was about to go off for a week. I had to do something!"

And just like that the flight flew away from him without a second thought. His blue eyes fell away from angry green in shame. She was right. This was his fault. All he had to do was trust Robin to tell them when he was ready.

"I know," he said.

His wife blinked in surprise. Her green eyes blew wide and she stepped forward cautiously. A tender hand reached out to touch his forehead. Her bright beaming smile appeared, playful light filling those green eyes.

"Are you sick?" She asked, "You just said I was right and we haven't even started on the argument yet."

A soft chuckle fell from his lips. He allowed the tension to fall away from his shoulders. A grateful kiss was bestowed to his wife's black hair.

"I just wish I had admitted it before we entered these woods," he said, "Where are we anyway?"

Snow shrugged. She pointed to the birch tree, the only white tree for miles. Upon it was a strange marking the exact same color as the ruby in the griffin's claws.

"I have no idea," Snow said, "I just picked this place and have been leading you in circles ever since. I figured we'd just get the fight going and see where it lands."

The prince stared at the strange marking surprised at the feeling of familiarity. He stepped forward with great caution. He was aware of every twig his boots snapped. He could feel a steady tingling of tension roll through the air. But his hand reached back, towards his wife always.

"Hand me that necklace," he said, "I think I have an idea."

His wife obeyed with questioning eyes. She slapped the necklace into his hand and watched with avid fascination. He was glad for her trust and faith. He grinned despite the growing feeling of doom in his heart.

The prince's instinct told him what to do. He didn't know why but he followed everything as his heart told him. He lifted the strange necklace high into the air and waited. A single ray of sunlight hit the dangling pendant.

The red glow penetrated more than the birch tree before them. Fire, embers of ruby red, began to erupt on the prince's sleeves. He dropped the griffin necklace to better rid himself of the flames. Instead he found the flames dancing along his skin, cool to the touch.

"Charming?" Snow screamed.

He lifted his finger to his mouth to quiet her desperate tongue. He watched fascinated as the flames twirled around him, leaving his skin unharmed in its wake. To the birch tree, the flames raced. The prince and princess were witnesses only to its movements, bewildered by its impassive journey. One single spark touched the white bark.

The tree was engulfed without a second thought. The flames soared high taking it under its vicious tongue. No part of the tree was left untouched. Only its surrounding area seemed immune to the blood-red flames.

Finally the fire raged no more and in its place stood a giant ruby. The prince and princess stared at the red jewel in absolute awe. It took the shape of a lion reared for battle, black armor adorning its flanks and paws. Its flowing red mane shimmered in the light, regal in its cordial appearance. Upon its head sat a black crown of thorns.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked.

She was furious. No it was more than that. She was downright terrified. Every inch of her body seemed to be on fire, shooting sparks of the hot liquid down her veins with every breath. She could barely see straight from the way her cheeks burned.

Something like panic kept clawing its way around her stomach. She felt pain flare up before something with long, hellish nails started ripping up her throat. She was outside and still she felt as though she had no air at all. She couldn't think with all the noise on the streets.

Noise?

Green eyes looked up in time to notice an unusual amount of Storybrooke citizens just standing in the middle of the street. The few cars driving around the road were frozen in place. Their drivers kept pointing to the sky, looking up with varying degrees of shock and awe.

"I'm sorry," David said, "It's like I couldn't control what was coming out of my mouth…"

But Emma couldn't hear him anymore. Her eyes were searching for the source of such avid fascination. She looked up, following the citizens' line of sight. And that was when she took note of the black speck moving in the distance.

It was no bigger than a tiny pebble but Emma could tell that it was moving far too fast. Whatever was in the air moved in circular motions, twisting and turning at too great a pace. And the image, despite it seeming so small, only seemed to be growing as it flew closer and closer.

"What the hell?" David asked.

Emma was about to comment, to say my thoughts exactly, but the speck gave its own reply. A giant screech ground on eardrums all around. The sound of metal sliding on metal reverberated off of Storybrooke's fabled walls. It pierced the eardrums and took route deep in the sheriff's heart.

"What is that?"

Annie Hart stood in the doorway of Jingleheimer and Schmidt's proud law office. Behind her Killian stood with his hook coyly hidden in his pocket. His ocean blue gaze fell to Emma's green immediately. He shook his head and Emma understood.

They moved as one, David catching on without missing a beat. Together they worked to get the stranger indoors before she could discover the truth of Storybrooke. The redhead barely screamed in protest before finding herself locked inside. Poor Killian was blocking the door with everything he could.

The screeching sound ignited the air before the redhead's sharp voice could even be heard. Emma and David spun around, twin looks of horror on their features. The creature had taken their few seconds of action and turned it against them. It was now much closer and within eyesight.

The thing had the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. Two giant white wings spread wide from its body. Emma was impressed at the animal's beauty. Then she noticed a pair of head sized talons aiming for her.

She quickly focused all of her energy on the law firm's glass door. A sharp click signaled that it was indeed locked and a series of tan blinds slid down to cover any glass at all. It was only as she turned that the sheriff realized her mistake.

"Emma!"

Her father's watery cologne filled her senses just as his body collided with hers. Together they soared to the ground, blonde hair flying with their combined force. Emma's left shoulder flared in pain. She cried out against her will, turning it into an angry grunt when she got her bearings straight.

There was a rattling from the law firm's door. A disgruntled, "hello can you help us?" "What's going on?" hollered out for attention. Emma shrugged it off positive Killian would know what to do. She rose to her feet and prepared her magic for the incoming brawl.

Her feet were firmly planted to the ground, shoulder-width apart like Regina taught her. She focused all of her anger and her frustration into a tiny hole in her stomach. She imagined that hole getting bigger and bigger with every flap of vicious wings. Then, when she felt she could hold it back no longer, she unleashed her white magic on the monster before her.

The thing unleashed another metallic screech. It seemed horrified that it couldn't get through Emma's impressive light. It flapped its wings in dismay. Then it made attempts to change direction and attack from a different angle. Emma continued to focus with all of her might.

The animal couldn't get past her. She knew it because she chased it around with her magic. But she also registered the surprise in the animal's eyes. There was a strange, familiar, intelligence there that gave her pause. She watched in awe as the animal once again flapped its wings and took off.

"Where is it going?" David asked.

He was running towards her, the backs of people barely visible now that Emma could pay attention. The street was now thoroughly deserted. Cars were left to just sit there and wait. Nobody seemed interested in returning anytime soon. Even Granny's diner looked vacant and Emma could hear its bell still ringing as if the door just opened.

"I don't know," Emma said.

She was surprised she sounded out of breath. She didn't feel as though her magic gave her too much of a drain. But her hands were starting to tingle and she was certain her lips were turning blue.

"What was that thing?" She asked.

"I don't know," her father said, "but we're going to find out."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Charming and Snow stared at the magnificent beast before them. The crown simply sat on its head as if waiting for someone to just reach out and…

"Careful Charming!" Snow said.

The prince blinked. He was standing at eye-level with the ruby beast. He could see his breath fogging up the intricate stone. His hands were poised to remove the crown from its head. Yet, the prince had no memory of ever stepping forward.

His pulse quickened at the magnetic pull coming from the crown. He could practically sense the magic all around. The thing even glowed in invitation. First blue, then red until the colors mixed into an intoxicating shade of purple and begged him to touch it all over again.

"I'm calling Regina," Snow said, "She'll know what to do."

Unfortunately Charming was unable to hear his wife. His heart was hammering in his chest, anxiety rising in challenge of intense emotions. He felt the need to have that crown beneath his fingertips, to feel its soft velvet touch on his hands.

Before the prince knew what magic took hold of him, his fingers already did their horrid work. His hands clasped gently onto the black crown and removed it entirely from the lion's head. He stepped away feeling only victory vibrating in his every pores.

"Charming, what did you do?"

It was only the panic in the princess's voice that the prince was able to look away from his prize. The necklace Rumpelstiltskin gave was no longer inanimate. The pendant was writhing on the ground making screeching noises that reverberated painfully off the ears.

The crown dropped and devilish hands shot to cover the injured appendages. A careful look left and Charming could see his wife echoing his moves. Her green eyes were filled with absolute fear. Her eyes shot down to the crown at his feet, a silent order he could not ignore.

Wincing, the prince removed his hands and along with that his favorite jacket. Quickly, while the pendant continued to wriggle and move and screech some more, he wrapped the jacket around the delicate crown. Even with the cloth protecting him, Charming could feel the power fuel his veins.

"Charming!" Snow called.

The shepherd prince looked back only long enough to see what the monster would be. His answer was unwelcomed completely. For the beast was the golden griffin hanging limp from the black silk string. It now soared high above them with wings as white as pearl. His golden beak opened wide to bemoan its lost treasure. It glistened in the sun, taunting all with its majestic power.

"You just had to touch it, didn't you?" Snow growled.

Charming didn't exactly blame her hostility. He just grabbed her hand and tried to ignore her gasp of surprise. The crown was well-wrapped in his left hand. There was no possible way she could feel the power of it standing on the opposite side of him, was there?

It didn't matter. The griffin already had its golden, glimmering claws open for a kill. It swooped down upon them with beak opened wide and hunger in its eyes. The pair split, barely missing the human sized talons by inches.

"Okay, Charming," Snow said, "What's the plan?"

 _Plan?_ The prince nearly swore at his wife's statement. He could feel the crown begging him to put it on his head. He was feeling drained of energy and ambition. All he wanted to do was feel the power of the crown and let the world fade away. He didn't exactly have time for a plan.

Then his blue eyes found home on a familiar clearing not too far away.

Perfect, he thought.

"Head for that clearing," he said, "That's the playground. Emma just revamped the charge on its protection spell. We should be able to get through no problem."

"And the griffin can't," Snow said.

She was already picking up speed to get there faster. The whoosh of the griffin's giant wings beat at them from above. Charming was quick to ignore the crown's apparent magic. He took a deep breath and forced himself to run.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

In hindsight, she probably should have gone to Gold first.

"Why the hell would I help you?"

The mayor's voice made her sound like a rabid dog. Emma could practically see her foaming at the mouth, chomping at the bit to get a taste of her target. The whites of her eyes even glimmered with flames like one.

"I would rather die!" Regina said.

Emma bit back every fowl curse she had available. Killian likewise was struggling to hold his breath. Both knew exactly what it was like to ensnare the ire of the Evil Queen. But they were too busy comparing her to the Regina they knew when they asked for help. Now she was laughing in their faces.

"Please," Emma said, "Regina-"

"It's your majesty!" Regina growled, "Honestly Ms. Swan where are your manners? Sure you're a dirty street rat but I expected more than this. You're not even begging right."

"It will help us find Henry," Emma said.

It wasn't a lie. Figuring out what that beast was would surely help them in more ways than one. Besides having the mayor once again working on the hero's side could only lead to good things. At least Emma hoped it would. Without Robin her theories were pretty much limited to what Gold was willing to tell and what she could remember from Regina's teachings.

"You know my price," the mayor said.

She raised her left hand through the bars mockingly. The black cuff seemed to shimmer and glow. It was calling to Emma, begging her to remove it from her best friend's wrist. And the sheriff found her will quickly leaning to do just that.

Her resolve, fortunately, refused to crumble.

"You know I can't do that," she said instead.

She ignored the stab of guilt and pain flaring in her chest. The older woman was staring at her with angry, baleful eyes. Her lips were pulled into a deep snarl. She looked on the verge of catching the upholstery on fire.

"Then I guess you don't need my help after all," Regina replied.

Killian let out a huff of stale angry air.

"Look your majesty," he said, "Obviously we've come to some sort of misunderstanding. Right now the people of Storybrooke are scared. They need a leader to go out there and show them that there is nothing to fear. Do you honestly want David doing that?"

"Hey," David said.

Emma gave him a silent glare. Her father rolled his eyes in reply, unhappy with the game they were playing. As much as the sheriff wanted to agree with the man, she had to admit Killian's idea was brilliant. If they could convince Regina it was for show maybe they could get her to remember something useful.

"On second thought," Regina said, "I think I'll chew my arm off."

She proceeded to slump onto her uncomfortable cot just as gracefully as the queen she used to be. She sat with her back ramrod straight and her hands perfectly positioned in her lap. Her petulant lips didn't even pucker out as she gave them each an angry, firm smile.

Emma noticed her father's eyebrows crease then. She watched as his mouth began to open in confusion. For a moment, his eyes glazed over again. His mouth popped shut but the confusion stayed on his face. He stood up abruptly, walking to the window woodenly.

"Dad," Emma said.

"Aww, how precious," Regina mocked.

The sheriff ignored her in favor of checking on the other sheriff. David's sky blue eyes were still glazed over as he peered out the window. His mouth pulled into a thinking frown. His right hand jumped to his lower lip. His pointer finger curled up to pull on the thin-lined lip.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked.

Sky blue eyes lost their haze as he took notice of his daughter for the first time. His shoulder gently bumped into hers. It pulled a smile to her lips exactly as planned she would say. He was beginning to smile too.

"I was just thinking," he said.

"About?"

She left her question open in hopes of getting an answer. She watched as his features began to cloud over in confusion again. He was considering his words. Emma could recognize that expression simply from the way Killian described it on her. So she gave his elbow a little squeeze and gently leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Annie Hart sat exactly like Regina today," David said.

Emma lifted her head and immediately found herself staring into sky blue eyes. She could tell her father was thinking. She felt the familiar pull of cogs in her own head. And her mind brought forth the image she sought Annie Hart was once again sitting at the counter delicately eating a slice of toast.

"It could be a coincidence," Emma said and she hoped she didn't sound as hopeful as she thought.

"I don't think so," David said, "There's something about her… What about your superpower? Can we trust her?"

Emma laughed. Sometimes she forgot her father was ever anything more than a sheriff. He was always trusting and it was always so surprising. But this was different. No Mary-Margaret meant he was more cautious than usual. Apparently she was his hope too.

"The story she told us was bogus," Emma replied, "But there was something about her… I don't know. She almost reminds me of Zelena, you know?"

David nodded and that was troubling. Emma thought she was the only one getting mixed signals about their new arrival. Then there was that curious green car that kept showing up. Maybe the two were connected somehow.

"Do you get the feeling that we are heading right into another case of Greg and Tamara?" David asked.

The sheriff stared at her father as if he had grown three heads. She didn't do it out of confusion or even disbelief. On the contrary, she stared at him simply because she was thinking the exact same thing. Something about the strangers just didn't add up. Then there was that whole thing about the missing children… and the children who weren't.

"Are you sure those kids at the bank are from here?" Emma asked, "I could have sworn that I met everybody in town by now."

Her father nodded. His eyes glazed over for a moment as he thought. Then a firmer nod came pouring from his neck.

"Yeah," he said, "They've been here since… well, I can't exactly remember when but that must mean the first curse, right?"

Emma nodded her head in agreement. Then an idea came into her head. The Evil Queen was the one who cast the first curse and Regina Mills still believe she was the Evil Queen. If anybody would recognize the people she imprisoned, it would be her.

"Regina," Emma said.

Her reply was a low, mind blowing, "it's your majesty."

Emma grinned.

"I have an offer for you."

Of course the timing was never perfect. Will Scarlet and Little John both picked that moment to show up. The two grown men were violent shades of red and huffing up a storm. Both were sporting tears around their pant-legs and sleeves.

"The… thingy," Will said, "It's coming your way."

"And it is one pissed off thingy," John said.

The first thoughts through Emma's head would have gotten her a smack upside the head by her father. So the sheriff swallowed down those words and quickly dived into action. She pulled her keys from her pocket and promptly went to unlock the jail cell door.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked.

Killian and David looked equally dismayed. But Emma ignored them all in favor of slapping cuffs on the mayor. She pulled her out of her metal cage and started parading her forth in the jailhouse.

"You, madam mayor," Emma said because she absolutely refused to call this woman queen, "Are going to help me identify this thing. Whether you want to or not."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Running through the woods was not ideal. The trees were getting thicker and thicker the closer they got to the playground. Snow and Charming both had to dive over and under branches and roots more and more. The prince was even horrified to notice that the trees were now barely two feet apart. He and Snow had to truly maneuver to avoid falling.

The griffin seemed unfazed by the forest. It still managed to get its giant talons to latch onto Charming's coat and pull it back. The prince had to tug hard in order to keep the crown in his control. His leather jacket was now tattered shreds in his hand, barely protecting him from the magical object of power.

"Charming," Snow said, "We're almost there."

She was right. They were seconds away now. Charming could almost breathe again. He felt his jacket slip and his skin was suddenly in direct contact with the magnanimous black crown. A jolt of energy penetrated his very soul. He felt years wash away from him. A new burst of speed fell away at his feet.

At some point his wife's hand found his. The prince couldn't remember how but he could feel her soft skin rubbing against his own. The giant metal play castle was a foot away. The trees were yards away. They had made it to the clearing, Emma's happy magic sparkled all around.

"Charming, drop the crown!"

He obeyed. The golden tendrils disappeared from the air. The tightness in his chest returned. His breathing began to stab at his lungs like tiny knives on the skin. His heart beat against his chest, rapidly moving as if to escape its rightful cage.

The prince felt pain beat against his knees. He was suddenly on the ground, breathlessly gasping for air. He could almost swear his veins were popping out all over his body. He felt cold and shivered.

"Are you okay?" Snow asked.

She was at his side as always. Her green eyes were filled with fear. Her hands were warm on his cheeks. He leaned heavily into her touch. He used her as his anchor for regaining his breath.

"What happened?" Charming asked.

"I don't know," Snow said, "One minute you were fine and then suddenly you were moving as if nothing could touch you. You even taunted the giant bird, goading it into coming after us. When you grabbed my hand that's when I noticed your eyes... Charming, they were red, ruby red."

The prince stared at his wife, confused. But their quiet moment was easily shattered. The griffin had taken their distraction as an invitation. It dived down from the sky straight for their little clearing. For a moment it looked as if Emma's protection spell would hold. But all hope was lost when the griffin's beak opened and unleashed a terrible streak. Ruby red flames created a dome that bordered the clearing. Emma's magic was not enough.

"Run," Snow said needlessly.

Charming grabbed his wife's hand and began to move. It was only as they reached the border that he realized his folly. Turning around the crown was a black shadow in the sun. It stayed limp and impassive as it taunted him. The prince rolled his eyes and proceeded to run back for it.

His wife's gentle hand pulled on his bicep to stop him.

"What are you doing?" She said, "David we don't know what that thing will do to you. Leave it!"

"Rumpelstiltskin sent us out here for a reason," Charming replied, "Whatever that magic is that crown is clearly what he wanted us to find. We can't leave without it."

"Okay," his wife said and she was staring at him with concerned understanding, "just don't touch it, David. I don't like what that thing does to you."

 _Neither do I_ , the prince thought. But he gave his wife a reassuring nod and quickly sped back to get it. This time he removed his sweatshirt and undershirt and wrapped them around the vicious crown. He missed a sharp angry death by a matter of centimeters, the griffin's talon buried deep in the ground where once he was.

The shepherd prince rose to his feet, shaky in his run. He darted through the monkey bars and leapt over the seesaws in a single bound. He pulled on a low-hanging branch and propelled himself forward. Snow White easily moved to meet him half-way. Together husband and wife raced through the forest, an angry griffin flying close to their backs.

"Okay," Charming huffed, "New plan. Call Regina. I'd rather die by her hand than this monster's any day."

"Way ahead of you," Snow said.

The prince was happy to find she was already on her phone.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The scene outside wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. Citizens were flocking to the nearby stores, seeking shelter from potential harm. Emma found herself absolutely surprised by the reaction. It was more typical for everybody to leave logic behind. Often everybody only cared about themselves and high-tailed it back to their perfect cookie-cutter houses.

"What the hell is that?" Regina screamed.

Emma bit her cheek to keep from hissing at her. The eagle headed beast was flying right towards them, white wings puffed up mightily. Its talons were stretched out as far as they would go. They were even covered in blood this time around.

The sheriff silently cursed her luck, searching for an escape plan that wouldn't hurt other citizens. Instead she ducked herself and the cuffed mayor behind a green car and waited for the beast to soar back up into the air. It was only when out of harm's way that she recognized the forest green Chevy.

"That damn car," she growled.

"Damn car?" Regina said, "Why are you worrying about a car when you should be worrying about that damn griffin!"

"Griffin?"

Emma frowned in confusion. She had never spent much time paying attention in school. Her thoughts were often on more important things like where the food was, how many windows were in the room and which doors led out of the place. She only started paying attention to her studies when she realized math helped her be more efficient at breaking into things.

"Don't any of you damn Charmings read?" Regina said, "A griffin is the king of all animals. What did you do to piss it off?"

"Me?" Emma was aghast, "Why do you think it was me?"

"Because you have your mother's ability to piss people off and not worry about the consequences of it," Regina said, "So which one of you idiots took its treasure?"

"I didn't take anything," Emma said.

"Neither did I," David replied.

"Well perhaps it's the pirate then?" Regina suggested.

"Aye," Killian said, "Ordinarily I would agree with you. But I don't remember pissing off that blasted bird so I'm going to safely assume it wasn't me."

"Clearly someone is lying!" Regina said, "Because a griffin doesn't attack unless you stole something absolutely precious from it. Though by the way it's flying the thing looks to be domesticated."

"Those things are pets?" Emma said.

Regina simply smiled. She held up her cuffed wrists and smiled even wider. Her chocolate eyes connected with green, swaying only to indicate the black leather bracelet strapped to her wrist.

"Lucky for you I know how to defeat them," she said, "but you're going to have to take this off."

"I have magic," Emma countered.

"That only works if you know the right spell," Regina replied, "and if I know Rumple… he didn't give you any advice."

Emma remembered Regina talking about her lessons when magic lessons first started. The mayor was often trying to avoid the Dark One's methods when she could. And though Emma was grateful she never really understood how Regina could ever be so foolish. If it wasn't for the imp, both of their lives would have been different… happier.

But they never would have had Henry and neither one of them would trade him for the world.

"Listen," Regina said, "You and I could sit here arguing about it until we're blue in the face but the fact is that a griffin won't rest until it finds what has been stolen from its master. Now unless you know where it is or who took it, I suggest you take the cuff off!"

They didn't have time. That was Emma's problem. This was something she needed to think about the damn beast was soaring over their heads at a million miles an hour at least. But the mayor was in no condition to be trusted. She was under the impression that they were the enemy. For all the sheriff knew, she would just disappear in a puff of purple smoke and leave them for dead.

"Make your decision fast, Swan," Killian said, "We're running out of time."

It was only then that Emma noticed one very important person missing.

"Dad!" she screamed.

The griffin followed him.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The griffin's horrible screech once again filled the air. They had made it out of the woods but they weren't safe yet. The beast's wings were still beating heavy on their backs. Charming could practically feel its breath on his neck. He saw his red truck and latched onto his wife's hand.

Snow didn't argue with her new instructions. She simply nodded her head and allowed herself the luxury of being steered away. Together they catapulted over rough pavement, their knees on fire with exertion. They were almost to the truck when the prince realized something was missing.

"Where's the…" he began.

But his words were never finished. Charming found himself flying through the air, weightless as a feather. He watched as a single white feather joined him on his steady procession through the sky. It fell with him to the ground, dispersing along with his great big thud.

His head was pounding. The right side of his body felt on fire. He could see nothing but black dots coating a blue clouded sky. The few short breaths he was able to sustain were not enough to get his body into motion. He was stuck and that infernal crown still taunted him.

It lay a simple stretch away. The prince could have easily reached out and felt its wonderful power. But he was a hero and as such he refused to give in. Anything that made a person feel lighter than air could only be something of pure darkness. He would not give in to its charms.

But the black spots in his vision continued to move. They were taking over and with them the dull ache of his body relaxed. He could feel his conscious thoughts slipping away. He even felt a smile on his lips. The griffin was circling overhead.

"Dad," a voice filled with love and music called out to his soul.

The black spots began to fade. The pain enveloped him, a bomb going off all over his skin. He could feel its embers chewing away at his tender flesh. But he could breathe without gasping fruitlessly at the air. His head began to think and function again.

"Look out," it said.

He thought he spoke aloud. He could see long blonde hair flowing freely at his left. His blue eyes were torn between the streams of blonde and the giant object coming their way. His chest filled with dread when he realized it was a golden griffin with angelic white wings.

"I don't think so."

A new voice sounded in the distance. Charming finally registered Emma's soft touch on his bare chest. He saw her worried green eyes and felt them penetrate his soul trust like her mother. He sat up, ready to warn the new person of the griffin's might.

But the raven-haired queen was never one to run away from monsters. The brunette stepped between the falling griffin and the prince, blocking his wife from view. Regina raised her right hand and pulled it to the side, a gentle flick of the wrist to end it all.

The griffin's heart-pounding sound stopped mid-screech. Suddenly it was engulfed in a buffet of purple smoke. A gentle thud sounded on the ground near the prince's feet. He stumbled up amazed at how easily the beast disappeared.

"How?" Charming asked, stunned.

He stared at the necklace, golden griffin dangling once more from its string. Its blood-red ruby shimmered in the fading sunlight. It seemed to smile up at him mockingly.

"A griffin is considered king of all creatures," Regina replied, "They always recognize their own kind."

"But how?" Snow asked.

Charming was so relieved that she was alive he didn't listen. He ignored his daughter's protests and gathered Snow into his arms. He kissed and apologized with every breath he had.

"If it recognizes royalty," Emma said, "Why did it attack Mom and Dad?"

"Well we were never exactly crowned," Snow said, "Perhaps we aren't high enough in the hierarchy for its liking?"

"No," Regina said, "It should recognize any royalty at all. Griffin's don't attack unless they have been tamed by a master and only a very powerful sorcerer could tame one…"

Regina's soft voice faded away to the distance. The prince could feel her heated stare on his skin but he didn't care. He just pulled his wife closer and showered her with affection.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," was her easy reply.

Charming gave her a few more kisses in gratitude. He could almost feel her cheeks redden with every grateful kiss. But the prince had nearly lost his wife and he wasn't about to let her go one moment more without knowing how much he loved her still.

"Wait a minute," Emma's voice filtered through the air, "In the book you guys overthrew Regina. How were you not king and queen? If you're royalty it should work anyway, right?"

"We had only just arrested Regina when the curse was cast," she finished in a fit of giggles.

Regina kindly rolled her eyes at the pair. She looked towards Emma as if to make a comment on the pair. Instead Charming saw a tiny smirk pull away at her lips. Following her line of sight the prince had to bite away at his own. His daughter was pale and looked ready to empty her stomach.

"No," Regina said and her voice was completely amused, "Emma's right. The griffin shouldn't have attacked you."

"So why did it?" Emma said.

Somehow she had gotten paler. Her lips puckered and she turned her green-eyed gaze away from her lip-smacking parents. It was then that Charming noticed Henry and Hook in the background, each looking just as sick as the savior.

Snow must have seen their faces. A small smile pulled away at her lips. She quickly stepped away from her husband, their fingers barely touching. A small snort escaped her nose.

Regina shrugged for a moment but the prince recognized the glazing of her eyes. Quickly chocolate returned to focus on him with a knowing scowl. She stepped forward determined.

"A griffin only attacks when under orders from the one it considers king," she said, "What did you take and who did you take it from? If I have to save your necks one more time…"

Charming's eyes fell away from her to glance at the black object in question. He felt the queen turn in tandem to his gaze. He could feel the thing taunting him, begging him to take just one more touch and never let go.

"Regina, don't!" Snow said.

The prince blinked and became aware of the queen towering over the crown in question. She stooped down as if to touch it. Only at the last minute did she use her magic. A black bag ensnared the black crown and stood proudly in her hands.

"Don't let it touch your skin," Charming said.

"Why?" Henry asked.

The boy was as inquisitive as ever. His bright brown eyes were flickering between his grandparents with wide-eyed amusement. His cheeks reddened with the heat of curiosity. He even smiled at them.

"It did something to David," Snow explained, "It barely came in contact with his skin and his eyes suddenly turned red. I don't know how to explain it but…"

"I felt as though I could walk on water and nothing could stop me," Charming said.

Regina's face suddenly turned dark. She stepped forward cautiously, her chocolate gaze holding him captive. The queen gently placed her hand on the prince's chest. She stepped back with relief flooding her features.

"You're safe," she said.

"Well yeah," Hook said, "You turned the bloody beast into a necklace. I think it's safe to say they are no longer in harm's way."

"No you idiot," Regina's eyes flashed with anger, "The crown drains the energy of anyone it touches. David's lucky to be alive and the only reason for that is because he married into royalty."

"Do you know what that is?" Emma asked.

She pointed a trembling finger to the black bag. Charming was amazed to see it glow. He could still feel the magic leeching into his very skin. His fingers itched to touch it again. The magnetic pull begged him to use that crown, to concur worlds with its blessed power.

"Yes," Regina replied.

She turned without another word. Her chocolate eyes narrowed spitefully towards the two of them. She seemed almost terrifying the way she gazed upon them. The fire seemed to rebound off of her in giant angry waves.

"How did you find it?" She said.

Before Charming could even hope to give an answer, his daughter spoke. Her green eyes were now glued to his chest. She looked pale yet again. Her lips puckered out as if barely staying closed.

"Uh Dad," she said, "What happened to your shirt?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

David raced through the streets of Storybrooke as fast as his work boots would allow. He pulled out his shining sword and ducked behind buildings to avoid the beast's vicious talons. He jumped over abandoned cars, dived under broken signage. Any obstacle in his way was taken care of without a backwards glance.

A screech of harsh metal called off in the distance. Quickly the sheriff sped towards the nearest alley way. He could hear the soft pounding of wings on air. He lurched left, his whole body slamming into the brick work before falling onto concrete.

A rush of warm wind hit him before a resounding flare of pain began to take over. His left shoulder felt on fire and his sword was covered in blood. One quick look confirmed that he did indeed stab himself with his own weapon. He threw the thing, disgusted with its presence.

"Dad!" Emma called.

He inhaled deeply to reply. He was even prepared to shout her name and a warning to get away. The beast followed him which must have meant he or his twin brother James, far more likely, did something to piss it off. Even without her memories, this Regina could be trusted to tell him the truth about magical creatures.

Another metallic screech filled the air. David groaned at the noise. But he was on his feet in a moment, slinging his sword back from where it had gone. His work boots were heavy as he trudged over more impeding objects to get away from the beast.

He jumped over a downed flagpole, silently wondering when they put one by Granny's Diner in the first place. Something felt wrong the moment he kicked off. A giant tug began on his right toe. Another flare of pain erupted on his left side. He watched in horror as his sword slid away, far out of reach.

He was on the ground. That was the first thing David Nolan noticed when the pain finally subsided. He could hear the soft hum of wings in the distance. His daughter was calling out to him, screaming with all her might. Slowly, the other sheriff picked himself up and sat up to observe his surroundings.

"Dad!" Emma screamed.

The panic in her voice told him it was already too late. With a look up David Nolan found himself in the middle of the griffin's intended attack. And the only thing standing between him and certain death was a terrified five year old boy.

David groaned. Every muscle in his body protested his movements. But he was a father first and a hero after that. It took no thinking at all to convince his body into motion. The other sheriff flung himself towards the scared little boy. Together they landed in a heap of painful metal, the little boy perfectly safe.

And Annie Hart was watching the whole thing with wide, blue eyes.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"You morons!"

Well, of all the things Regina could have done, Charming was certain this was the kindest.

"Haven't you idiots learned by now not to trust Rumpelstiltskin?" She said.

Her voice, remarkably, only increased in volume for a second. Her chocolate gaze flew to the loft stairs and the small babies up there. She quickly stooped over their long table and renewed her impressive anger at much softer tone.

"What were you thinking?"

Snow simply shrugged her shoulders. Her green gaze turned to him, her meaning well implied. He swallowed thickly at the princess's request.

"We needed to know something about Rothbart's motive," Charming replied, "and now we do."

He regretted the words immediately. The fire in the queen's gaze only stood more horrible when paired with her vicious snarl. Her lips peeled back for a moment before more delicate words spewed from her lips. Her voice was a whip to them all despite her whisper.

"This is about Robin," she cursed, "You risked your life… you risked Snow's life because you for some stupid reason don't trust Robin! Why do we have to keep having this conversation, Charming?"

She spit his name like an insult. She didn't even seem aware of the way her chocolate eyes turned to coal in her anger. She just slammed her fist on the table and winced. Her eyes once again shot to the sleeping babes upstairs. A pregnant pause began and ended with her shuttering breath.

"I am not a child," she said, "I can take care of myself. Two of the three children upstairs should more than prove that."

"And me too," Henry said.

Regina pointed to him with a proud smile lighting her face. The boy was quick to ease his mother's anger by leaning into her touch. He gave his grandfather a quick wink and grasped her hand.

"Mom," he said, "What's so important about the crown? Why did grandpa have gramps and gram go after it? What does it do?"

"Nothing really," Regina replied, "to the person meant to wear the crown."

"What does that mean?" Emma asked.

Charming bit back his amusement at the way the queen rolled her eyes. Sometimes it was impossible to remember the brunette had caused such pain to his family. If it wasn't for the queen Emma would have been raised with them in the Enchanted Forest. She never would have needed to become the savior and stop the curse. He often wondered how long it would have been before she had turned Regina into a doting grandmother instead of a homicidal maniac.

But forgetting the familial ties was easy when watching the two interact. They were more like sisters than anything else. It was quite amusing when the melancholy didn't hit the prince in the chest. The Evil Queen had accidentally created her own demise in more than one way the day she cast the Dark Curse. She created the savior who gave birth to her son and saved her from her evil ways. And she created her own best friend, someone who understood the pain of loss and being alone and unloved.

"The Crown of Immortality is from a long line dating back to Ariadne and Dionysus."

Charming's blood boiled. He could feel his blue eyes narrowed as they fell to Robin Hood, standing idly in the doorway. The archer looked equally disgusted with him. Together they glared at each other until it became obvious neither would back down. Then Robin fully entered the room and explained.

"The crown is a symbol of the rightful heir of Sherwood," he said, "and it only chooses the one who will not wield its power for evil."

His dimples refused to show. His bright blue eyes stayed glued to Regina, a look of sadness on his features. He stood by her side when next he spoke.

"The crown corrupts those without the blood of Ariadne and Dionysus running through their veins."

"Lord of all," Regina said, "That's why the griffin didn't stop."

"You are its only equal, my queen," Robin replied.

It was then that Charming began to realize why he wanted to touch it so. The power would be unstoppable in the wrong hands. He felt lighter than air and he held no magic in his veins.

"What does the bloody thing do?" hook asked, blunt as ever.

Robin and Regina both exchanged worried calculating glances. There was nervousness shimmering in bright blue eyes while her chocolate gaze held firm with reassurance. Neither ventured to speak but the conversation was happening anyway. Charming could see the way the two battled their knowledge against each other, searching for weakness to dispose of.

It was Robin who relented.

"It gives its wearer the power to concur any land they wish," he said, "It also brings them a long and healthy reign."

"But its biggest property is its power of foresight," Regina supplied, "It can give the wearer the power to see a strategy's end and adjust accordingly."

"But at a terrible price," the outlaw warned, "the wearer becomes obsessed with the power. You feel unstoppable, omnipotent. No one can challenge you and destruction soon becomes all you seek."

"Dominance at a global," Regina sighed, "or in our case multiple world level."

"And Rothbart wants it to guarantee his revenge," Hook said, "I'm beginning to see this crown's appeal."

"It also proves that he is rightful heir to the throne of Sherwood," Robin said.

"That's what Rothbart is after," he said, "That's why Rumpelstiltskin sent us after it. He knew."

The outlaw bowed his head. He shrugged his shoulders and suddenly became obsessed with cleaning his bow. But his blue eyes were constantly darting to the queen, seeking approval or some form of assurance that she was still there.

"He is the one who cursed its power," Robin said, "Before it simply decided who would wear the crown."

"Then why didn't he just tell us?" Emma said, "That's kind of important information."

"He made a deal, didn't he?" Henry asked.

He sounded defeated and Charming found that unacceptable. His only connection to his father and Rumpelstiltskin continued to hurt his grandson endlessly. So he did what any good grandfather would do. He decided to bring a smile to the boy's face.

"We found the crown," he said, "and I felt its power. Robin… I think you should keep it away from him."

The many cries of surprise were expected. Every source of tension between the two men was entirely the prince's fault. It made perfect sense to extend the olive branch with dignity.

"Me?" Robin seemed most surprised by the news.

"Who better to protect such a dangerous object than the person who knows it best," Charming said, "Besides, I owe you an apology. You've proven yourself trustworthy on more than one occasion. It's unfair of me to ask for complete disclosure when you have no reason to give it. Please, I trust you to protect it."

"I thank you kindly," Robin said, "and… apology accepted."

Everyone at the table seemed happy with the prince's statement. Even Regina's angry chocolate gaze was sparkling. If he squinted just right he could detect a slight upward tilt of her lip. Snow squeezed his hand and gently kissed his knuckles. Emma relaxed into Hook's open shoulder. The tension left the room as if it had never been there to begin with.

"And I may even trust you to take care of Regina," he said.

The angry scowls and heated words were worth every minute to have his family united again.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

David did even bother to think. He carefully placed the now crying five year old into the nearest unlocked car he could find. He braced himself against the car, ensuring no harm would come to the child. Then he kicked off and started heading straight for the redhead just staring at him in surprise.

"Dad, look out!" Emma said.

She was being unhelpful. David was already aware of the beast's talons closing in on him. But his concern for the stranger outweighed his self-preservation. He pushed her out of the way, a new pain enveloping in his right abdomen.

"Oh to hell with this," Annie said.

David was so stunned by her words that he didn't have time to register her actions. He just cradled his injured side and growled at the persistent griffin circling back his way. The wretched beast hurtled towards him, talons hungry for more blood. Its golden claws and beak were open wide in its all too familiar war cry.

"Nice try beastie," Annie said, "but I don't run from monsters."

"You don't?" David asked.

He wasn't exactly sure why he even bothered. The whole thing was absurd. The girl was a stranger but her perfect poise and unflinching blue eyes gave him pause. The redhead didn't even seem phased by the giant beast hurtling towards her.

"No," Annie said, "Monsters run from me."

Her left hand flew through the air, peeling across the sky as if she were painting the clouds. She gave a little flick of her wrist just as the beast's talons came to her head. The griffin disappeared, dissolved into a blue-green smoke.

It reappeared at his feet David was surprised to see. It was no longer menacing. It was a simple pendant, gold and wrapped around a long black string. It held in its grasp a single blue sapphire.

"How?" David began.

Emma came barreling into him before he could even form the words. Her long arms wrapped tightly around his neck and refused to let go. Her blonde hair tickled away at his neck as she nuzzled into him with all her might.

"Are you okay?" She asked, sounding far too much like her mother in that moment.

"Fine," David replied.

He was still in a state of shock. That had to be why he never noticed Killian's hook wrapped into Regina's cuffs. The deputy was smiling at him, ocean eyes staring at his daughter in happiness. But the mayor's eyes were glued to the redhead before her.

"Who the hell are you?" Regina asked.

Annie, for her part, looked equally stunned by the brunette's presence. She kept stammering, searching for words and none seemed to find her. Her stuttering lips only halted their movements when blue eyes fell away to the ground. It was then that she seemed to remember her manners.

She fell into a steep bow. Her eyes never once left the mayor's. Her hands were perfectly positioned on either side of her hip. When she raised her chin it was with that same precise movement she made at the diner. She stood, her back perfectly straight and her eyes never wavering from the stern mayor before her.

"Annie Hart, your majesty," the redhead replied.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Rumpelstiltskin busily worked away at cleaning his shop. He absolutely refused to allow the cobwebs to form. He almost ignored the tinkling bell above his door. But centuries of experience told him no costumer should ever be put out, even if they were once again ignoring his store hours.

He looked up and found himself staring at a very familiar scowl. A golden griffin slammed onto the counter by his register. He bit down on his cheek to keep from smiling.

"You bastard!"

Dark eyes connected with blue. This time the Dark One allowed his victorious smile to grow. He watched as the many emotions flittered away on his visitor's face.

 _Yes_ , he thought with pride, _everything is falling swiftly into place._

"What can I do for you," he said, "Mr. Hood?"

Robin Hood looked unamused with his witty retort. He slammed his hand over the griffin and coyly placed his bow on top of it. His bright blue eyes turned black. Rumpelstiltskin smiled in pride of his anger.

"You nearly killed them," the outlaw said.

Rumpelstiltskin made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat. He waved his hand in a circle as if to excuse himself. Then he quickly moved to pick up the delicate griffin and its silk string.

"You knew David couldn't touch the crown," Robin continued. Apparently he had no need of a conversation.

"You sent him and Snow out there completely unprepared. They could have died and you wouldn't have cared so long as Rothbart didn't get that crown!"

"As we should all hope," Rumple replied.

His smile grew wider despite the outlaw's impressive glare. It was amusing to see such hatred on an ordinarily kind man's face. The Dark One always prided himself on bringing out the worst in everyone. Robin Hood was proving to be his greatest conquest on that front.

"Or have you not told them exactly why he's after this particular crown in the first place?"

The reply was a vicious growl. The outlaw's eyes continued to blaze in hateful black. He looked exactly like the man he so feared. It was almost comical to Rumpelstiltskin.

"They know that the crown belongs to Sherwood," Robin said, "I told them everything of importance."

"Everything except your claim to it," Rumple shrugged.

"I have no claim to the throne," Robin shouted.

He seemed pretty upset. If the Dark One didn't know him and his past so well he would almost be surprised. But the outlaw refused to see reason and once again it was up to him to provide the truth.

"Be that as it may," Rumple said, "How do you think Regina would feel if she knew exactly how much of your history with Rothbart you are hiding? Your past crusades are coming to the light, outlaw. Are you prepared to deal with the consequences?"

He chuckled softly at the look of dismay on Robin Hood's face. His black eyes were blue once more. His face was now downturned and complete consumed with fear. He bit down on his cheek to keep from chuckling again.

"You sent them after it on purpose," the outlaw said, "you don't deny it."

"Oh of course not, dearie," Rumple said, "The crown is now exactly where it belongs."

"He'll come after it."

"Definitely."

Robin looked saddened by the news. His shoulders even drooped in defeat. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and stood braced to take more if he had to. His longbow came crashing down on the counter in a desperate plea for attention.

"What do I need to do?" He asked, "What deal can I make?"

Rumpelstiltskin allowed himself a gloating smile. The outlaw was unaware of the power he was offering up. But that smile soon faded away. Despite everything the future stated a very certain path. To sway even now would end only in darkness even the Dark One could not escape.

"Unfortunately," Rumpelstiltskin said, "All magic comes with a price. And the magic of the crown has always held the steepest. Why do you think it corrupts?"

Robin simply shrugged.

"Its price is that of the soul," Rumple said, "Even the purest of hearts fall under its spell. Which is why Ariadne built in such a drastic failsafe. The crown selects who is worthy to wear it."

"Only the rightful king shall wear the crown," Robin said, "Only the true blood heir shall rule the land. Only the one with a heart stained by darkness can see its fight. Only a… a res…"

"Only a resilient heart can guide it to the light."

Anger and hatred once again filled blue eyes. Defeat gave way to determination. His shoulders straightened and true bravery took over. Robin Hood's snarling face lunged towards the dark one without fear.

"Mark my words, Rumpelstiltskin," he said, "Your prophecy will not come true. If Rothbart wishes for the crown let him come. I will not stand between him and his kingdom."

"Of course not, dearie, only the true king can do that."

"I will make certain that crown is never found," Robin promised without a breath, "You're wrong. Whatever you may have seen… Sherwood will not fall!"

He slammed his confident fist onto the counter. Then the outlaw departed with one last angry glare. He slammed the door behind him without a single care for the dainty bell above. He seemed completely unsettled and exactly where Rumpelstiltskin needed to be.

 _Yes_ , the Dark One thought, _the pieces are falling exactly into place._

He carefully walked into the back of his shop. He ignored the clutter of books and scrolls half-hazardously on the old armchair. He just waved his hand and allowed his magic to do the work. An intricate chess board appeared on the table before him.

The pieces were divided into two separate ends. At one end stood the red pieces the traditional emblem of their master woven into their broad chests. Opposite of them their opponents formed. The pieces were a perfect electric blue.

Carefully, the Dark One moved a red pawn forward.

An angry shiver erupted from his left pocket. The Dark One quickly reached in, removing the offending object. The griffin's blood-red ruby shimmered bright. Rumpelstiltskin watched as the color began to shift and change.

The stone's magic allowed a single drop of blue to invade its mass. The colors swirled together until the red was no more. Smoke began to cut away and claw at the stone until its final form began. Now, where once stood a dark and dangerous ruby, a purple amethyst took its place.

 _The game begins_ , he thought happily.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma felt confusion permeate the air. Everything about the young woman before her set her stomach on fire. She could feel electricity still carving its way through the air. A sickly, sweet molasses taste was already forming where the griffin last flew.

"I've never seen you before," Regina said.

The sheriff turned away from her father enough to observe the mayor fully. Regina's features kept changing, sputtering as if in shock. Her fingers interlocked with her cuffs. She seemed unaware of the way she was pulling at them, begging them to bite into her skin and draw blood.

"I didn't come with the first curse," Annie said.

It was the truth. For the first time since meeting this Annie Hart Emma Swan could finally see the truth written plainly on the girl's face. But before she could even hope to question her further, a strange thing passed over the mayor's features.

A single droplet of water fell from the corner of Regina's right eye and dropped onto her delicate olive cheek. It fell down that cheek's round surface. Then it dropped to the ground without so much as making a sound. Emma watch, fascinated.

"Who are you?" Regina asked again.

There was no emotion in her voice. If anything she seemed completely devoid of feeling anything at all. But her grip on those handcuffs only seemed to grow tighter.

Annie Hart's features only seemed to pull back into a blank canvas. Her bright blue eyes dulled. Her soft dimples disappeared altogether. Her bright red lips began to pucker into a quivering mass. Then, in a dramatic huff, she disappeared from view with nothing more than a trail of blue-green smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The shadows watched as the sheriff returned the mayor to the jailhouse. They took note of the many faces traveling around her cell. They were even quick to report the whereabouts of the griffin necklace.

The man was grateful to his shadows for doing their job. He even found out some information on the new player on the board. He looked at his chess board and removed one lonely pawn from the board. In its place stood the enemy's rook.

"The pieces are lining up," he said, "I think it's time to even the field a bit."

He moved his knight to take away one of the pawns.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:**

In modern day Storybrooke a new thief makes it impossible for Emma to do her job sparking memories of another thief plaguing the land. Zelena plans a new custody arrangement for Cora; one that involves Robin's heart.


	6. An Arrow Through the Heart

Storybrooke – Now

If there was one thing Emma Swan hated it was a long weekday. Considering her current weekday was spent at the station, searching through files and old newspapers; her mood was not set to improve anytime soon. David had decided he would be in charge of looking for Annie Hart, finding out everything he can on the mysterious redhead with magic. Hook, naturally, was volunteered to do the routine rounds while Emma had to keep searching on the missing children front.

"Being sheriff isn't exactly all shooting guns and chasing bad guys, is it?"

Emma hated them both with great passion.

Regina Mills simply smiled at her, features cool and filled with disdain. She sat with her back ramrod straight and her hands gently clasped on her lap. Her chocolate gaze was glued to the sheriff.

She ignored the sneering brunette in favor of reading yet another boring piece by Sydney Glass. It was a lovely and insightful tale of firefighters saving a helpless kitten from the mayor's apple tree. Apparently it was chasing a bird who in turn was chasing a spider who swallowed a fly. Emma didn't have to think twice to know where that tale was headed.

She flipped the page, eager to read something else. Anything was more enchanting than the imprisoned mayor staring at her with cold dark eyes. She even had that stupid scowl on her features too.

"So this is what we're doing today?" Regina asked, sassy as ever, "I'm going to do all of the talking and you're just going to childishly pretend I don't exist. How fitting. Your mother was a brat too."

Emma calmly ignored her in favor of the fascinating article on proper tree maintenance.

"Speaking of…" Regina said, "How is Mary-Margaret? Have you found her yet? I heard she was one of the ones included with the missing children. It must be hard… losing your mother all over again."

Emma flipped the page a little rougher than intended. She ripped the picture of the clock tower. There apparently were rumors that it was being repaired. Somebody had complained about being late for everything.

"How's Henry? I assume that's why you're staying so quiet about my capture."

Emma slammed the newspaper into the recycle bin. She marched straight over to the mayor, pointer finger stretched out in angry despair. Her lips pulled back into a vicious snarl of her own. Words began to envelope her throat and attempt to leave through parted lips.

"I've brought you a surprise, Swan!"

Regina's angry looks turned into a self-satisfied smile. Her hands left the safety of the bars, crossing over her chest. She gave a sharp, cheeky grin and casually stared down at her. Chocolate eyes burned with accomplishment.

"Saved by the boyfriend," the mayor said.

Emma scowled at the woman before turning away. She watched as Killian raised a familiar bag in the air. He brought take out from Granny's. Immediately the smell of fried vegetable oil wafted through her pores. Her tongue salivated at the mere idea of it.

"Great," Regina huffed, "Now I have to deal with both of you."

"Don't worry, your majesty," Killian said, "I remembered you too."

Regina's nose crinkled in disgust.

"I'd rather not develop thunder thighs, thanks."

"Not to worry, love," Killian replied.

He placed the greasy white bag containing their food on Emma's desk. Then he proceeded to lift another bag, draped delicately over his hook. It was plastic and dripped a bit of water from one end.

"I brought you a salad. And before you ask no onions, extra avocados and the dressing is on the side just the way you like it."

Regina looked absolutely confused. She was hesitant to even take the offered salad away. It was with caution that she glanced over the food. A soft snarl pulled up her lips.

"You forgot olives," she said.

Killian held up one lonely pointer finger. He looked around in his and Emma's take-out bag. Then he pulled out a small plastic container, black olives drenched in juice. He handed it to her with a mocking smile.

It was the first time all day that the mayor failed to have anything to say. Emma perked up with amusement. She could see the woman was practically bristling. She looked mutinous and the sheriff suddenly found herself worried. Regina would be petty enough to refuse food just to keep her pride.

"Thank you," the mayor said.

The Styrofoam container in Killian's hand fell to the floor with a loud clatter. Food splattered everywhere. A giant mass of hamburger, tortilla chips and nacho cheese sauce sprayed the desks without a second thought. Salsa even dripped from the desktop.

Emma found herself staring into the depths of ocean blue. Confusion was easily mimicked on her own features, she was sure. The sheriff could feel fear climbing up her spine. But more importantly, she felt hope find its way into her heart.

"Um," Emma licked her suddenly very dry lips, "Wha… uh… what did you say?"

"I'm not repeating that," Regina replied.

Both Emma and Killian turned as one to stare at the mayor, mouths agape in shock. Regina in turn looked equally dismayed. For the first time in weeks her chocolate eyes were filled to the brim with an overwhelming light.

"Regina?" Emma gasped.

The mayor's chocolate orbs connected with hers and the world began to tilt. Specks of a glistening nature appeared in her eyes. The raven-haired brunette stepped forward, clutching the cell bars closely.

"Emma," she said.

Naturally the moment was broken at the worst of times. A familiar ringtone began to flitter through the air. A musical sound of "Someday my Prince Will Come", Snow White and Prince Charming's theme, carried through the station like a haunting ghost from the past.

Emma fought against the urge to throw the thing across the room. But Regina's lips were curving into an all-too-familiar smile. Those chocolate orbs glistened with amusement, probably thinking about their son who added that ringtone as a joke.

The sheriff continued watching the mayor for too long. The phone went to voicemail and she couldn't care less. Regina was staring at her as if she actually recognized her, as if she knew her. For a moment they were best friends all over again.

But the caller seemed more persistent. The anthem of Emma's parents played out again. The mayor's chocolate eyes moved away from the sheriff's hold, observing the ringing phone with surprising trepidation. She blinked and stepped away from the bars.

Her eyes turned dark once more. A grimace fell to her mouth. She walked as if in a trance to her cot, shaking her head the whole way.

Emma then picked up the offending phone. A deep anger began to swell in her stomach. With the single touch of a screen she was able to read the name: Gold.

"What the hell do you want?" She said.

Her tone of voice alone held nothing but loathing. Killian's ocean gaze tore away promptly from the mayor stumbling through her salad assortment on autopilot. His eyes darkened too the moment he looked at her face. His disgusted face allowed Emma to see that he already knew to whom she spoke.

"It appears I've had a break-in," Gold said, "Get here immediately Ms. Swan."

"Killian's doing rounds today," Emma replied.

She knew it was a low blow but neither one of them enjoyed the pawnbroker's company. The sleazy man was responsible for their mutual unhappiness on many occasions. His last betrayal was one too many when he decided to absorb the power of all dark ones into his own body. They would both rather ignore him for the rest of their happy lives.

"I'm afraid magic was involved," was Gold's unhappy reply, "Twenty minutes, Ms. Swan."

Emma slammed her phone on the table. She gave it a scathing look for putting her through such misery. Then she looked to Killian and pointed her chin to their prisoner. Killian raised one worried eyebrow before nodding to the silent command.

She grabbed her leather jacket and reached for her sidearm. She gave Killian a kiss for both comfort and gratitude for allowing her this one slip. Then she walked out to the marching rhythm of Regina's scathing voice.

"The chicken is overcooked."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin felt the eyes boring into the back of his head. He turned around only to find himself staring at nothing in particular at all. He gazed at the tree line for a few measly minutes longer, until he was positive he was just imagining things. Then he returned to pushing his daughter back and forth in the stroller.

Cora wasn't in a crying mood today. Her blue eyes were gazing up at the sky, reaching towards the rays of sunlight streaking through the sky. Robin couldn't help but smile at the happy look on her face.

Cora's features suddenly changed. Her happy face burst into one of pure bliss. Her tiny hands began grabbing at the air in all kinds of directions. Laughs gurgled from her happy mouth. Her fingers were stretching up as her tiny baby hands attempted to catch whatever made her laugh so.

"It's magic," a familiar voice said, "She can see it."

Robin's smile joined that of his daughter's. He felt her laughter bubbling through his own chest. Then his bright blue eyes turned to find nothing but chocolate warmth. A simple look down confirmed that Regina was indeed twirling her left pointer finger to create the magic that made their daughter laugh so much.

"She's laughing because she knows it's mine," she said.

Robin's smile impossibly grew wider at the small admission. Quickly he drew his lover towards him, kissing her on the lips. He watched her cheeks flush in embarrassment before her attention returned to the youngest of their merry band.

"She must be getting hungry," Regina said, "You've been out here all morning."

"The boys and I agreed that it was high time she tried Granny's," Robin replied, "She is six months old."

Regina's chocolate eyes turned to him with an impressive glare. Her lips puckered and she took on the features of the Evil Queen. Her left eyebrow rose to her hairline. Her chocolate eyes narrowed.

"You will not feed my children junk food," she said, "We only just started introducing her to hard foods. You are not ruining healthy eating habits with your stubborn refusal to learn how to cook."

He smiled at her motherly ways. From his pocket he withdrew the homemade baby food she and Mary-Margaret never seemed to be without. He then wrapped his arms around her and gave her a smug look. He waited until she melted into his grasp before speaking.

"I wouldn't dream of it, your majesty," Robin said, "but the boys have more than earned the grease after everything. Besides, Roland's birthday is in a few weeks and I figured what better excuse to talk to the old woman than while he's distracted by a cheeseburger."

"A veggie burger," Regina corrected, "He needs to eat more vegetables and you know he's taking advantage of the next two weeks."

"All the more reason why he insists you are his mother," he said.

He quickly dispelled the last remnants of motherly concern with a gentle flick of his finger on her nose. Her eyes crinkled with mild amusement. Together they turned as one to observe their boys fighting swords, tiny sticks that were taking the blows quite well.

Roland was the brave knight defending the castle. Henry, the villain challenging him with words perfect for a five year old, had stolen the princess' most treasured crown. The brave knight had to brave a broken bridge over lava. His best friend, also played by Henry, died in the struggle over the vicious owl mountains. And now Roland was at the Dark Castle, battling for his princess and queen's survival.

It was just as Roland began waving to Regina, his victory over the evil Prince Henry momentarily forgotten at her presence, that Robin felt something odd. Quickly he turned in the direction of the forest. Carefully he watched for any sign of disturbance. It was then that he noticed a pair of eyes watching over their happily family.

The figure's pale green eyes connected with his own for a moment. Robin stepped forward, wary of this visitor. Her interest in their family seemed to conclude. She disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

"Robin, what?" Regina began.

"Zelena," Robin said.

His queen turned to stare in the same direction. A fireball flew to the palm of her hand only to be immediately put out. She shook as she struggled to gain control of her emotions. Robin quickly grabbed her shaking hands.

"Don't worry, milady," he said, "She's gone."

Regina simply nodded in agreement. She moved towards Cora and immediately pulled her into a tight embrace. Her chocolate eyes turned to their boys. She was now watching them for any sign of harm or disturbance. Robin caught the hint and waved to get the boys' attention.

"Boys," Robin called, "I think it's time for lunch!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The pawnshop looked utterly clean. There wasn't a single item out of place. Every object now glimmered and gleamed in the sunlight. It almost looked completely untouched.

But Emma couldn't help smiling at the gaping holes among the floorboards. She could still smell the sickly sweet acids of magic in the air. And the clutter that once belonged to Mr. Gold's pawnshop was no more. Everything looked skeletal in comparison.

Footsteps reverberated from the back. The soft foomp-foomp of stylish flats signaled the arrival of Belle French. She stepped out from behind the velveteen curtain, hair pulled back into a tight bun. A white shirt stretched from one wrist to the other connecting in a neat 'X' around her chest. Underneath she wore a black tank and a dark denim skirt.

"He's um…" she sounded nervous and that made Emma worry.

"He's in the back," she said.

She shuffled to the side. Her hands twisted around each other, battling for dominance in absence of sense. She seemed confused, concerned as she watched the sheriff march through the overly clean shop. Emma had to stop and held out a hand to comfort. Belle flinched away as if burned, an unusual feat for her.

"You'll understand when you see it," she said.

Emma found herself frowning at the librarian's strange attitude. She even watched after her as she made her way to the back. It was only through the corner of her eye that she even noticed the odd object in the room.

The feathers were first to catch her eye. It was a strange green color with a mysterious blue eye in its center. Surrounding the blue iris was a field of brown that seemed to hold the whole rainbow in its grasp. The single plume fell into an elegant golden shaft. Its missing arrowhead was buried deep into Gold's wall, a single parchment hanging from its depths.

"It's unusual," Gold's voice flittered through the air, "Isn't it?"

Emma turned a scowling gaze on the older man. He was leaning heavily on his cane. The thing looked almost as haggard as its master now. It held scratch marks of every variety. Its once sleek black slope was now scuffed wood with no elegance in sight. Its intricate golden handle was now tarnished with red and flecks of brown petering into its design. Only his expensive suits seemed untouched.

"It's a peacock feather," Emma said.

Mr. Gold's lips parted into a sardonic smile. He bit his lip and crinkled his nose in disgust or amusement, the emotions never quite easy to discern on the greasy pawnbroker. He hobbled forward on his scuffed cane and gently touched the arrow protruding from his wall.

"I take it you are unaware of a peafowl's true meaning?" he asked but the rhetorical nature of his question urged him to go on before Emma could even glare.

"You see, Ms. Swan," he said, "Peacocks have many properties, both mythical and magical. A single feather can be used to concoct some of the most dangerous and powerful curses of all. Or they can be used to bring back life to one seconds away from the kiss of death."

"It's an arrow," Emma said.

The man nodded and continued on.

"Peacocks are a symbol of immortality in this realm," he said, "In ours they are more than that."

Emma merely quirked an eyebrow, inviting him to carry on.

"The tail feather of a peacock is required in every ingredient for a spell of immortality," he said, "The drinker need only consume from a single plume and they have an extended life. And because all magic comes with a price this specific bird must too be more than meets the eye."

"The point, Gold," Emma said.

For the first time, Gold glared at her. He turned his impressive posture onto her, pale complexion be damned. He gently pulled the feather towards her and plucked a single strand from the impressive thing. Emma gasped as the strand grew back without pause.

"This particular feather is from that bird," he said, "a bird that has been extinct since long before your time. I made certain of it. This beast is the last of its kind."

"So how did it get attached to an arrow?" Emma asked.

Gold nodded his head, his dark eyes flickering with encouragement. He took his cane and walked the few feet it took to get to his office. From his topcoat he removed a single key and quickly plugged it into a keyhole. Before Emma even had time to ask the pawnbroker was already pointing to an empty drawer.

"This is why it had to be you Ms. Swan," he said, "This drawer held some of my most potent potions. Whoever this arrow belongs has magic."

Emma frowned. She turned back to the peacock arrow and tried to leap to the same conclusion. She only found herself growing more and more confused with every passing second. The hanging parchment immediately took her focus. She walked up to it stunned by the rearing lion crest in big black ink.

Her green eyes grew wide, recognizing Robin's moniker anywhere. She lunged forward, hope breaking through the surface. Quickly her finger began to trace the intricate letters of handwriting unfamiliar to her. She was fascinated by how beautiful it was in its tiny scrawl.

The parchment read:

 _Sorry to drop in like this, but I'm afraid these need to be in the right hands. However curtesy dictates that I must grant you the chance to find what you are missing. So a puzzle I shall give and pray that you will be unable to find it._

 _Upon my shaft sits an eye of Argus. They never blink nor falter to sleep. Upon my head sits the arrow's prized crown. To find me look to the sunrise where only a swan may call._

"Well the thief left a clue," Emma said, "It's the Merry Men's camp too. A bit obvious but hey I can find my way there with no trouble."

"You forgot the first part of the clue," Gold said, "The arrow itself is the hint and only you seem to be the thief's intended target, Ms. Swan."

"What's so important about the peacock?" She asked.

"Besides that fact that it is immortal and can only be killed by an immortal knife?" Gold asked with a heavy dose of sarcasm, "That peacock belonged to a specific line of royals who have long since died. Whoever this magic wielder is cannot be well-practiced."

"Why is that?"

"Besides the fact that they used the feather for an arrow?" Gold said, "They used a golden shaft. Isn't it obvious who the culprit is?"

Emma shook her head. Suddenly her throat felt clogged. She found it difficult to breathe over the giant lump forming there. Her palms sweat. Fear curled under her belly. Her heart broke.

"The culprit is a royal," he said, "A royal that can now single-handedly destroy all of Storybrooke."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Zelena did not make a reappearance. Not while they were eating lunch and definitely not while they parted ways. Regina went to her office without incident. Robin took the children back home to enjoy a quiet afternoon on their spring vacation. Dinner was made with Henry's help, thankfully picking up on just how important the morning's events had been without a word. Regina came home at 5:30 exactly as expected.

Still the tension in the air never quite dissipated. Both parents refused to release their guard even for one moment. The queen and her outlaw constantly sent cautious looks to the door, afraid the wicked witch would pay them a visit. But she never came and soon it was time for bath times and stories, brushing teeth and finding pajamas.

It was only when both small children were asleep that the teenager even dared speak.

"Who's after us today?" He asked.

He waltzed right into their room without waiting for invitation. He sat upon the foot of his mother's side of the bed. He allowed his expecting brown gaze to find home on Robin's. There was no smile on his features, just curiosity and worry.

"No one," Regina said.

Both lover and son turned to see the queen casually leaning against her bathroom door. She walked out in her pajamas, a long silver pinstriped bottom and one of Robin's t-shirts. Her hair lay in loose curls around her shoulders. She walked towards the teen sitting on the bed and gently placed both hands on each cheek respectively.

"Robin thought he saw Zelena while you were playing at the park," she said, "Nothing to worry about. Now how was your day?"

Henry rolled his eyes and gave his mother a perfect interpretation of one of her own steely looks. Clearly he was as unamused as ever when her sister was involved. He pulled her hands away from his cheeks, but kept the contact by holding her hands in his own.

"Mom," he said, "I'm not stupid. I saw the way you and Robin were darting looks at the door. What's going on?"

"We're not really sure," Robin said.

He calmly ignored the queen's bitter stare. He shrugged his shoulders as if completely unaffected. Then he proceeded to sit down beside the teen and squeeze his shoulder. After ruffling his hair, Henry seemed to calm a bit.

"I saw Zelena watching us and before I could even invite her over she poofed away," he said, "You know how your aunt is. She only recently was allowed her magic back. It will take some time. I'm sure she'll come around for a visit when she's ready."

Robin tried to smile after his explanation. He wanted the teen to believe every word spoken. Instead he found himself doubting his own tale. True Zelena had seemed genuine when she said she wanted to change. But he and Regina had been scorned a few times too many when it came to her. The fact that she even seemed willing to talk to Dr. Hopper was a small miracle of its own.

"I know when you're lying to me," Henry grumbled.

"We're not lying," Regina said and she was smiling despite the subject, "Besides Emma and I both put protection spells all over the house. She's not getting in here without our permission. There's nothing for you to worry about."

"But what if she's still trying to hurt you?" Henry asked.

It was then that Robin understood the sudden worry. The outlaw looked towards his bedroom door, just in time to see a brown head disappear from sight. He smiled and quickly moved to motion his preschooler in.

"Well hello little knight," Regina said.

The boy grinned proudly before turning to his father with an ashamed air. He bowed his curly head and started staring at his toes.

"Hi," he said.

"Roland," Robin said, "Did you have a question for us?"

The boy shook his head but refused to make eye contact. He shook when his father placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He even tried to fight the invitation to join the group on the mattress. Still, his small body could only hold so much energy. He immediately found himself a spot on Regina's lap and calmed in her embrace.

"Auntie Zelena is scary," Roland said.

That was all the answer they needed. Roland found himself consumed by Regina's arms. Henry was then ensnared into her tight grasp along with the boy. Robin watched the scene with a bubble of happiness before his own fears came to a head.

"Zelena can't hurt you," Regina said, "I made sure of it. No matter where you go or what you do I will always be just a call a way."

"What if she hurts you?" Henry asked.

Regina shook her head. Her chocolate eyes rose to those of her soulmate. Together they silent communicated the best way to settle such fear. Then with a heavy sigh Regina chose to convey just a small portion of the truth.

"Remember when Auntie Emma and I used magic on monkey, Roland?" She asked.

The boy nodded and waited patiently for the next bound of news to unfold.

"Well," she said, "We did the same thing with Henry and Cora. Even if Zelena wanted to hurt me or Papa, you all have the power to save us."

"You do?" Roland asked and he sounded proud to have such responsibility.

"Yes," Regina said.

Her eyes turned towards her too concerned son. Gently she fussed with Henry's hair. Then she grabbed his chin and lifted until they were eye to eye.

"All you have to do is say her name three times," she said, "and she will automatically appear."

Roland seemed awed by the power. He began clapping his hands and trying to say his favorite aunt's name with all his might. But a small chuckle fell from the teen, the intended target. He ruffled his brother's hair and shook his head.

"No silly," he said, "We have to say her full name. First and last and only when we are in trouble otherwise she'll just get mad."

Roland nodded his head and smiled wider at the idea of it. He jumped out of Regina's arms and raced towards his room, all the while whispering about the power he now had. He even tried practicing his calls all the way to his room.

Two pairs of eyes fell to the teenager still sitting on the bed. He looked almost guilty at the attention. Yet he seemed permanently glued to his mother's side. Now it was Robin's turn to allay the few fears left within.

"Zelena gave us Cora when she could have continued to fight us, Henry," he said, "If that doesn't say there is still good in her I don't know what will."

The teen took it as exactly what it was. A promise formed between step-father and son. Neither would ever let anything happen to his mother. Together they would trust that his wicked aunt would be taken care of. Henry had nothing to fear.

At least Robin hoped that was what came across.

"Now, my dear little prince," Regina said, "I asked you about your day. What did you and Roland do after lunch? You didn't con Robin into eating ice cream again, did you?"

The little traces of tension melted away as the teen opened up to a vigorous laugh. He propelled himself forward into his mother's arms and held on tight. He held out his arm to his mother's soulmate, inviting Robin to join in more ways than one.

"I love you Mom," the teen said.

"I love you too. Now you better get to bet, my prince. I believe a certain birth mother has plans that begin no later than 7:30 in the morning and you don't want to be late."

Her son rolled his eyes and removed himself playfully from the bed. He scampered towards his room looking lighter than air. Robin even got a few playful swats when he tried ruffling the teen's hair. Peace was restored to their odd kingdom.

Until a loud bang sounded from Roland's room.

"Dammit kid we talked about this!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

 _Every time something happens it leads us right back to the Merry Men. Why is that?_

Emma's thoughts continued to flow as she traveled the familiar path. Her eyes didn't even need to look, her feet were already making their rounds. Past the giant oak tree at the edge of the lake. Up the animal path exactly eighteen feet. Down the tiny hill right before the toll bridge. Twenty-five paces down the riverbed. Under the arms of the town's only Weeping Willow. And the laughter of the Merry Men's campground filled the air with its wondrous music.

Except no laughter sounded.

Green eyes looked up with a mixture of horror and fright. Her right hand reached for her gun. She removed it from its hilt even as she took two, three steps forward into the depths of the forest. The snap of a twig alerted her to another presence not too far in the distance.

She swung around, gun ready. It was with a sigh of relief that the bulbous form of Little John appeared before her. She relaxed instantly, dropping her gun and placing it back in its stubborn holster.

"John," she said.

"Emma," he said.

Emma was about to make a joke about meeting again under such bizarre circumstances. She was even thinking about making a wise crack about the constant forest visits. But her tongue was stayed by the serious look on the burly man's features. He stepped towards her with his crossbow carelessly dragging on the ground.

"We have a problem," he said.

The sheriff rolled her eyes. Little John winced and only then was Emma aware of how similar to Regina such a reaction was. She gave him a quick nod and followed where he led.

"What's up?" She said.

"An intruder," was his only reply.

He ducked under the beautiful branches of the old willow tree. His crossbow kindly parted them for her entry. Then he waved towards the river and led her to a strangely familiar spot, just below the toll bridge.

"What…" she began.

He shushed her with a single finger to the lips. Then the burly man was bowing down to the ground. His giant hands fumbled through the mud before producing a glass bottle from the bank's muddy depths. Inside was a familiar parchment and another silly peacock feather.

"I don't know when or who did this," John said, "But the note wasn't here during our midnight rounds and it was at dawn. And the tracks only exist around the river… either we have a ghost on our hands-"

"Or a very talented thief," Emma finished.

Little John nodded, his giant curls bouncing in agreement. Delicately he stretched his left hand out. He offered her the note without a second thought, trust plainly written on his features. The sheriff took it with a bitter smile of acceptance.

The peacock feather fell first. It plummeted to the ground only to disappear in a puff of blue smoke before it could ever touch the mud. The scrolled parchment on the other hand waited for Emma's hand to take it. It unraveled the moment her skin came in contact. The same lion crest and tiny scrawl filled the page. It simply read:

 _Apologies for the false trail, milady. Though honor dictates a fair game I am bound by promises much more important than the returning of the imp's precious poisons. I do hope you forgive me over time. I have placed the dangerous baubles under the greatest protection I have ever known. Only one can find it and only when she deems it her time to do so. I understand if this is all so confusing but I must keep these things delicate for now until a time that allows me to divulge my true intentions._

 _Just know that I am on your side, Swan._

 _Always and Forever,_

 _The Thief_

"Swan," Emma said, "How did they know it would be me?"

Little John shrugged. He pointed to the trail of feet etched hard into the muddy bank. He then used his crossbow to point in the direction of the Merry Men's camp. His expression was one of worry more than confusion. Emma felt her pulse quicken in equal dismay.

"We heard no snap of a twig," he said, "Nor were there any signs of the culprit until we woke this morning. The thief came from the direction of the clock tower, somehow managed to completely avoid our camps, and then proceeded to the river bank to bury this blasted note."

"Will Scarlet and I were the last to find it. Tuck and a few of the young ones were making the rounds at first light. It was I who found the single swan feather that marked the path up ahead."

He pointed to an area not too far away. Emma barely had to take two steps before she saw exactly to what he was pointing. It was another peacock feather, probably the same that had been in the bottle judging by the simple design. But it was now sitting in the middle of the toll bridge on top of a very familiar book.

Emma lunged towards the object, her heart steadily increasing pace faster and faster as she went. She fell to her knees and started devouring the pages. She found herself obsessed with finding each and every picture in it. The pages stopped on the only page she never got tired of seeing.

The painted image of Snow White held baby Emma close in her tiny blanket. She was handing David the newborn with tears in her eyes. This was Emma's birthday. The image telling how both of her parents felt about sending her away with the hope of seeing her again twenty-eight years later. And find them she did.

"What is that?" Little John asked.

He towered over her, his giant frame casting shadow on the treasured book. Emma quickly pulled it tighter to her chest. She closed it and enjoyed the smell of the familiar pages. For a moment she felt at peace once again. She even closed her green eyes in invitation of such strong feelings.

"It's Henry's book," she said.

She felt the smile return to her lips. Hope began to bloom heavily in her chest. She could hear her mother's words urging her not to give up, to hold on to love and never let go. She could feel Henry rolling his eyes at her constant denial of the curse. But she could also feel his belief that she would break this new curse all over again.

Her eyes snapped open with the sound of a twig. Little John's crossbow was already pointing towards the woods. Emma barely even moved a muscle. Her green eyes looked to the right, just beyond the toll bridge on the way into town. A sliver of movement caught her eyes. Something black and human shaped began peeling away.

A green back pack was strapped to the humanoid's back. His feet were covered in black running shoes. His brown eyes were staring at them both wide and filled with shock. He turned around without a word. He disappeared once more into the woods.

"That's our thief," Emma said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin was happy that Roland took his punishment like a good lad. He didn't seem to mind dish duty too much anyways. It amazed him how there was a machine designed specifically to wash the dishes for you. There was a time when little Roland had to actually fetch the water in order to do him. So a fitting punishment for calling Auntie Emma the task seemed to be.

Now if only Cora would be half as happy to eat her beets.

"Please," the outlaw begged.

His daughter was already just as stubborn as her mother. Little sprouts of red blonde hair were beginning to form from the top of her head. But the moment beets came anywhere near her, she shook her head and magicked them away. Today she seemed to be working against her brother as well.

"Papa she did it again," Roland complained.

Sure enough the young boy was scrambling to stop the beet goop from falling all over the dishwasher. Instead of their usual dish soap, now mashed beets came out. The young boy didn't know how to handle magic and his frustration was obvious.

"Papa, hurry," the boy cried, "It's getting on the dishes. I don't want to clean them by hand."

Robin chuckled and ran to the rescue. He latched onto the tipping box and managed to save Roland's hard work from total destruction. With a quick shake of the box he was able to determine that Cora's magic did indeed change all of the contents. Quickly he through the smelly substance away and glance under the cupboard.

There was no soap to be seen. Robin huffed and commanded his son to watch his sister. The outlaw bit back a chuckle when Roland refused to move his eyes away from the tiny girl. Then he raced towards the downstairs pantry, searching for the spare box Regina always kept.

It was there, blessedly. He grabbed it and even remembered to add it to the growing grocery list. Soon he would have to go shopping. Before work never seemed the best time and between monster attacks he was always with his children. He mentally calculated the likelihood of Roland and Cora cooperating with him on a store run after their naps.

The dishwasher was saved and not with a second to spare. Roland seemed determined to get Cora to eat her beets and he was on the verge of getting a magical smack from the flyswatter. The crisis was avoided the moment the babe became aware of her father's presence. The flyswatter dropped to the ground as her blue eyes found him. She clapped happily.

"Pop-pop!" She said proudly.

"Yes," he nodded, handing his son the prized dish soap. "Pop-pop is back and he wants you to eat your beets."

Words were still a work in progress for the little tyke. Mama and pop-pop were the best they could get on a good day. Still Robin refused to be discouraged. His daughter was already far advanced for her age, due in large part to Emma's pregnancy speed-up. As much as Regina worried over it, Emma was certain no other side effects would be shown. Of course, she seemed impressed when the girl took her Uncle Killian's hook to chew on.

Regina was not very happy about that one. Robin chuckled. He picked up the baby's spoon and began to scoop away at the remaining beet goop.

"Now," he said, "Time to eat your beets."

He raised the spoon up and was relieved to see a mouth opened in anticipation. Blue eyes looked happy as they connected over the prospect of food. But before Robin could even smile back he noticed what she held in her grasp, incoming teeth poised to take a bit.

Cora was holding a green apple.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Little John took off in time with her. Together they raced into the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of thief's all black outfit. But the perp knew how to cover his tracks. Somehow he managed to only lose his footing once or twice. A snapped twig or fallen leaf were their only signs for his intended direction.

Emma cursed the setting sun and dismal weather. The thief picked the perfect outfit for the perfect day. They skittered around the slippery leaves and didn't seem to mind the cold wet of Storybrooke rain. Little John nearly shot himself in the foot twice from slipping on the ground.

The sheriff's heart leapt high into the back of her throat when their path fell away from them. Suddenly Emma's feet were running not on soft earthen ground but cold, wet air that held no purchase. Together she and John cascaded into horrid circles down a plunging landscape.

Emma's elbow hit a rock. A strange root grabbed at her ankles. Leaves curled into her hair. Branches whipped angrily at her face. Her entire right side slammed into cold, clammy earth only seconds later to be joined by a moaning Little John. Red blotches decorated the burly man's cherubic cheeks.

"Blast," he said.

His crossbow was now bent in two. The arrow hung limp from its plastic cradle. The string swung lifeless at an odd thirty degree angle from its center. A plume of leaves spouted from the crossbows mighty body. Damaged beyond repair was the only description right for it.

"Robin's gonna kill me," he said, "This was his favorite bow."

 _Next to the one Regina made for him_ , of course, Emma was forced to mentally add. She then cursed herself and Mother Nature for being such a fowl beast. Their tumble cost them precious time. There was no doubt.

Emma had to try getting up once or twice before she could even separate herself from the aches and pains of falling downhill. To her left she was grateful to find John was equally just as bruised and no worse for wear. His wild curls were already flying in search of the thief's possible direction.

"There," he said.

The sheriff followed his strong brown-eyed gaze. The thief had taken their same caution in racing through the woods. A giant ditch with clear footprints and slippery hands was not even three feet away. Judging by the mud caking the trees only eight further away, the thief had a few scrapes too.

"Let's go," Emma said.

She and John lunged forward once more. This time each step was made with a certain caution perfect for the environment. They found traces of blood and broken branches leading them down a winding, twisting path. As cautious as they were the thief apparently had no such qualms about falling again.

They found the trail after only fifteen minutes of searching. The thief had fallen once more, slipping his muddy shoes on a giant rock and taking a small tumble through the wood. The muddy prints faded into a disturbance of leaves until a break in the trees was found.

This was the path Emma and John were forced to take. The fatigue of running was starting to catch up with the both of them. They barely even had the energy to follow once more except that the trail picked up once again.

"What the hell?" Emma cursed aloud.

Ordinarily she would feel vaguely embarrassed by the crass language. But John unleashed a steady stream of curses far worse than her own. He seemed just as upset over the muddy steps they found. Muddy steps that led straight into town.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The apple incident was not the only odd occurrence. Ever since Zelena's impromptu park visit, Cora was never to be left alone. Robin had to pull in double shifts at the forest station just to ensure his men's watch was properly staffed. A two-hour watch was placed on the witch's farmhouse. Though it was mostly empty none seemed eager to take a chance.

Regina was equally tired. Shortly after the first, the queen received a basket of green apples with a simple note that they were meant for Cora. She refused to leave anywhere without the baby's car seat strapped to her side. The baby went with her to the office and the bus dropped all the boys off at either the town hall or the sheriff's station depending on meetings.

Emma was now revamping the protection spell on the mansion. She refused to allow her niece and nephew to be put in any harm. They knew the witch wanted the baby. They were just afraid of what she would do should any of her brothers be present.

Both Henry and Roland were moved to Emma and Hook's when the next gift came. It was delivered to the office during Regina's lunch break. It was a green stuffed monkey with a witch's hat. The queen nearly burned down the building in her haste to get rid of the thing.

The only benefit was Cora. She enjoyed getting all the extra attention. She and Neal were constantly guarded during their playdates, both children oblivious to the fairies all around. Robin had even opened up to Charming's suggestion of a restraining order only to be shot down immediately by the queen.

"She's my sister and Cora is biologically hers," she said, "Even if she did give her up she still has a right to be in her life. Just like Emma with Henry."

All other arguments were stopped. Regina was adamant her sister be given a chance. And while the gifts were disturbing they were also completely harmless. Zelena made no move to appear and they were powerless to stop the presents.

Robin often found himself counting the seconds until his work day was finished. Even if Regina made him the boss, he hated to leave work early. His men often begged him to under the circumstances but his honor wouldn't allow it. He had to trust that everything would be fine.

He had to believe it.

The outlaw's musings were interrupted by the familiar ring of his telephone. He flipped open the silly thing and answered without once looking at the caller I.D. A smile filled his features at the sound of her wonderful voice.

"I've figured out her plan," Regina said.

Robin felt overjoyed. He quickly rose from his desk and silently ordered John to watch over the men. He grabbed his coat, swinging it around his shoulders. He was nearly out of the door when he remembered to speak.

"Where?"

"Meet me at the park," she said, "It's not something I can say over the phone."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian was on the verge of relapse. Well, he was on the verge of murdering Regina which for him was being on the verge of a relapse. It had been years since his last murder. He hadn't felt the urge to feel blood shooting down his hook in quite some time, not since he was the Dark One at least. But now the mayor refused to stop bloody talking.

"Does she now of our history?" Regina rambled on, "Of our entwined Evil past? I'm sure the savior would love to hear all of the people we killed to get our way. Who knows, maybe she would be willing to forgive you for what you did to your brother… Liam Two I believe his name was."

Killian growled and slammed his hook into his desk. He regretted the reaction when said action found the hook stuck. He cursed as he tried to remove it from its blasted trap. The mayor simply laughed harder at his discomfort.

"Behold the fearsome Pirate Captain Hook," Regina mocked, "The only way to defeat him is with blonde locks and a black of wood. How will he ever get out of this new trap?"

He removed the hook and grabbed his jacket. From around his arms he swung his protective clothing and refused to acknowledge the chuckling woman. He removed his phone from his pocket and gave one last growl of a warning.

"I'm stepping out for a bit to check on Swan," he said, "Try not to get too comfortable in your quarters, your majesty."

He rounded the corner with every intention of leaving but he couldn't quite stop the pestilence. He whipped back around and shut off the lights. The mayor's laughs didn't even recede. She simply lounged back on her cot and waited for the next step of her game. His blood boiled.

"And don't tell Emma I'm leaving you alone or she and David will never forgive me."

The mayor gave him something that suggested an agreement but he wasn't certain. He only knew his rage was bubbling to the surface and he had to do something. Leaving her in the jailhouse alone for a few minutes wasn't going to kill her. Them being in the same room was.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Hurry, we're almost there," Regina said.

Robin had to bite away at the smile forming on his lips. Even when in her best moods his queen was still pushy.

"Regina, what's going on?" Robin asked, chuckling all the while. "What are we doing here? Is this where Zelena has been hiding?"

But the queen did not answer. She instead continued walking on her determined path. She refused to pause or even flash him one of her teasing smiles. She just kept marching on, only stopping when they were deep within the forest's grasp.

A clearing of light penetrated the thick darkness of wood. This was the apparent destination intended. She turned around exactly when they were in the heart of it. Her hands reached out to him, an invitation he could never resist. He wrapped his arms around her.

"So was this your plan all along?" He asked, "Get me out in the middle of the forest and what exactly… Have your wicked way with me?"

"Wicked?" Regina's eyes glowed at the word, "Interesting choice of words."

He leaned in to kiss her and she allowed it. She even grinned into the moment with some bizarre hunger. The moment their lips were about to meet, Robin felt a strange tingle flood his system. His heart began to thunder in his chest. His pulse sped up to an unbearable level. His tattooed wrist throbbed in torturous pain. And he knew exactly why his Evil Queen chose to focus on that one word.

He pulled away, disgusted by the woman before him entirely.

"Zelena," he growled.

Unfortunately for the outlaw, that was all he was allowed to do. The wretched woman's hands were already embedded deep in his chest. He could feel her pulling and hauling away at his heart. He felt nothing but pain as she removed the beating organ entirely.

Regina's raven locks disappeared into vicious wisps of red hair. Chocolate eyes turned pale green. A once peaceful smile was now sadistic and sprinkled with freckles. Where once stood the Evil Queen, now the Wicked Witch remained.

"Oh Robbie," Zelena said, "When will you learn?"

She held his glowing heart in the palm of her right hand. She didn't even care how delicate it was. Nor did she seem aware of the inky blackness that so perfectly mirrored her sister's heart. The witch only cared about one thing, revenge.

"I must admit I'm disappointed," Zelena said, "I was hoping for a quick snog before I removed your precious heart. Why did you pull away?"

"Because my heart knew you weren't the one to whom it belonged," Robin spat at her.

It was the best he could do and he regretted nothing harsh when it came to her. His loathing of this woman couldn't be condensed into so few words. Even as the witch squeezed his heart to punish him, nothing could describe his hatred.

"Now," Zelena said, "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

Robin opened his mouth to protest, but the witch had other plans. She squeezed his heart, green sparks flicking onto the organ. He winced. The pain in his chest neared unbearable. Still the witch didn't seem satisfied. She squeezed a bit harder.

Black spots flooded his vision. He felt pain flood his every pore. Breathing alone felt impossible against the agony. His body no longer belonged to him as was evidence when the pain suddenly stopped. He was bent in an awkward bow before the vicious redhead. His blue eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"What do you want from me?" Robin demanded though he had a sneaking suspicion of his purpose.

"You, Robbie dear," Zelena said.

She stepped forward, hovering over his quivering form like a satanic beast. With another quick press on his heart she had him on both hands and knees, panting for air he had no control to grasp. Red hair flooded his vision and the wretched stench of molasses invaded his nostrils.

"You are going to help me with my plans," Zelena continued softly.

She began prancing around the clearing with his heart. She occasionally applied pressure when the mood struck. Robin found himself in a haze of pain and fear as the witch continued to frolic the woods. Suddenly he was staring into pale green depths and the fear in his chest bloomed into full blown terror.

"I want my daughter back," she said, "And you are going to help me in the most wonderful way possible."

"You see, I've been spending weeks planning and I finally figured out the thing that would destroy you and my dear little sister completely. You two are constantly going on and on about your love but neither one of you have really proven it to be true."

She crouched low so they were nose to nose again. Her pale green eyes were filled with malice and madness. Her sinister smile only seemed to grow as she continued speaking.

"But none of that matters now," she said, "Because my plans will make certain neither one of you will ever come back."

She pushed her angry fingers into his soft heart, pulling out a new concentration of pain without a care in the world. Her left hand shot out and clung to his trembling chin. She forced him to look her directly into those crazy eyes. It was then that Robin Hood understood why he was so petrified.

"Only one thing will keep you both away from my daughter," she said, "and since my sister has been granted the resilient heart there is only one way to do it."

She held up his heart unnecessarily showing him what he already knew. His heart was unprotected and thus made Regina vulnerable to attack. Why hadn't they thought to protect it when they had the chance?

"Do whatever you wish," Robin said, "But try as hard as you might you will never be able to return her to the darkness. Regina will defeat you with or without me."

"Oh that would be true, dear," Zelena was too quick to agree, "If you were her happy ending."

She brought his heart up to her lips and began whispering into it. The magic of her words penetrated every inch of his skin as well as that pulsing, beating, glowing organ in her hands. He could hear her plans running around in his mind, whispering sharp words that brought pain to his soul.

It wasn't until her words started to wrap themselves firmly into his mind that the realization struck. He felt his heart jerk away from the witch and pain filled his chest all over again. She pulled back the organ with a self-satisfied grin. She ordered him to stand and felt the need to obey despite his reluctance.

"Now tell me Robbie," Zelena said, "How are you going to insure my revenge? How are you going to get me exactly what I want?"

And this is when she held his heart back up to her lips and whispered her very last question.

"What are you going to do to get me my daughter?"

Robin was compelled to reply. He tried to keep the thoughts from forming in his head. He even fought against the urges with every fiber of his being. But the magic was already taking its toll. The words bubbled up his throat and ripped from his mouth despite his scowling lips.

"I'm going to kill Regina," he said.

Zelena simply smiled with pride.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The thief ran into the sheriff's station, determination in his every stride. He seemed completely unaware of the prisoner in her jail cell. Regina Mills almost felt annoyed at his ignorance. If she could gather up the strength to care she probably would have made some comment about his poor choice in robbery. He was bold too, stealing from the sheriff.

Regina's mind felt muddled as she ignored him fluttering around the desk drawers. Whatever he was searching for didn't matter. She was only vaguely aware that the thief was indeed a man in her mind.

She frowned in deep thought. Henry would have called this Operation Thief.

The thief slammed another desk drawer shut, cursing angrily. His voice confirmed her thoughts. The man did indeed choose his playground poorly. He didn't even seem concerned that there might be someone else in the jailhouse.

 _Perhaps Ms. Swan will let me out if I tell her what he took_ , she thought.

Her chocolate eyes rolled up into her head. She refused to help the Charmings, her greatest enemies. If they wanted answers then they were going to have to do the work themselves. She smiled in amusement turning once again to watch the thief at work.

The thief was already working away at Swan's desk, opening and sorting through every drawer with purpose. He stopped on the bottom one. Regina could see his fingers tremble. She observed as he carefully placed his equipment down. Gingerly he removed a stuffed monkey from its dark cage.

Her blood boiled.

Before she knew what was happening she was already on her feet. Her hands wrapped around the bars and she could feel her anger spike. The thief actually tucked the monkey under his muddy armpit and moved to the next drawer.

"That's mine!" She said.

At last the thief froze. His hooded figure rose through the air. A ski mask obscured his features but the surprise was evident. He nearly dropped the monkey in his shock, stepping forward as if in a trance.

"Regina?" He said.

"It's your majesty," she replied.

The thief made a strange noise. It was a bizarre combination of laughter and a cruel hiss of inhaling wind. His hood fell away just enough to showcase his big brown eyes. Regina watched as he carefully palmed the monkey back under his arm.

She nearly hissed in pain.

"That doesn't belong to you," she said.

Suddenly the lights of the station turned on. Regina had to blink several times, shrinking away from the harsh florescent lights. She observed the thief moving towards her. She felt another snarl working its way through her throat.

"Sorry," the thief said, "But I need two hands."

Regina watched perplexed. Not only was the thief kneeling before her, his rightful place as far as she was concerned. But he was helping her escape. She watched as he pulled out strange looking metal tubes. They were practically as thin as paper clips and the thief stuck them into her lock without a second thought.

 _What?_

"What are you doing?" She asked.

The thief rolled his eyes and released a heavy sigh. It was something she ordinarily did when someone asked a stupid question. She blinked. She stepped forward slowly, morbid curiosity forcing her every step.

"I'm freeing you," he said, "What does it look like?"

He didn't even have the lock completely undone when he finally looked at her. There was a cheeky grin hiding behind that awful ski mask. Regina had the sudden vision of smug victory filled her eyes. She could almost hear the gloating tone in this thief's voice. But his brown eyes turned into depths of concern when they took notice of the bracelet on her wrist.

"What is that?" He asked.

Regina winced at the tone of his voice. Guilt suddenly started clawing its way to the surface. She swiped at her arm nervously. She pulled away from the bars feeling guilt's vicious burn and unprepared to face it.

"Is that Zelena's bracelet?" The thief asked.

The mayor found herself confused by the brusque tone and anger. She was about to reply back to him in disdain. She was a queen. She didn't need to be talked to in such a manner. But the thief spoke again before she even had time to choose her words.

"They put that witch's bracelet on you," he said and she could detect the scowl on his features despite the mask. "After everything you've done. They took away your powers?"

Regina blinked. Suddenly the queen was taking over once more. She slid back to her rightful spot above him. Her face automatically turned to one of mildly concerned. She could almost feel the tears prickling on the backs of her eyes. Inwardly she smiled at her magnificent talent.

"And here you are to save me," she said, "Hurry. The one-handed wonder will be back any moment. I'm certain a conversation with that savior will bring him before your plan can be achieved."

The thief stopped his twiddling. Quickly he removed the thin lock picks from her metal cage. His brown eyes turned towards her, horror plainly written in his gaze. He stepped away as if burned.

"Savior?" He said.

Regina felt confusion flood her once more. She reached out a hand in hopes of staving his fear. Instead he stepped out of her reach and held that damn monkey close to his breast. If it wasn't for the ski mask she could almost imagine his lower lip trembled.

"Emma would never do this to you," he said.

Her heart squeezed and panic began to roll through her veins. She snapped her hand towards him, greedily attempting to steal back what was hers. But the monkey rose through the air and found itself with a muddy face rubbed right into it.

"Stop that," she said, "You're ruining it!"

Her rage continued to magnify and possess. She found herself tearing at the bars once more. She could almost imagine a spark of flame leaping to her hands. The damn thief stepped further away, shaking his head.

"Give it to me," the mayor cried, "It's mine! It belongs to my son and I need that to find him!"

The brown eyes perked up for a moment. He tore the monkey away from his face and placed it behind him. He stepped forward, inches away from her outstretched fingers. He looked at her nails in fascination before turning a cheeky grin her way.

"Which one?" He asked.

 _Why does everyone keep asking me that?_ She thought but she held her tongue before she exploded her rage. It would not do to torment the only person willing to help her. So she changed her features and cooled her touch. Perhaps the thief would enjoy a comforting tone.

"Bloody hell," Hook's voice called through the air, "Do you ever sleep?"

The thief jumped. Apparently his original plan had been forgotten. He began to rummage through drawers once more. The mayor didn't miss his constant looks in her direction. She was his distraction. She smiled in victory.

"I will make you a deal," she said, "You set me free from these bars and give me back my magic… and I will give you anything your heart desires."

 _And kill him of course_ , her wicked thoughts supplied, _can't have someone like that twittering about. He's a liability. Keep him until he's served his purpose and then toss him to the road. He clearly doesn't want to help you find your son._

Still another voice entered her thoughts.

 _No_ , it said, _he's useful. He'll give you everything you want and more. Show him kindness and love. That's what he's looking for. He wants your love._

 _Love is weakness._

"Please," she said and she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes at the desperation. She hated needing. "Just let me go."

The thief came towards her again. The monkey was back under his disgusting armpit and collecting all of the mess from there. She could hear the pattering rush of footsteps down the hall. They didn't have long.

"Please," she said, "We can help each other."

 _You should kill him for making you beg like a wallowing peasant._

"Answer me this," he said, "and I will let you go… Who am I?"

She bit her lip. His cunning brown eyes bore deep within her soul. She felt every curse word soar through her head and silently wished she had her magic. She would torture the boy into helping she was sure. But an incessantly quiet voice in the back of her head decided to pick this moment to speak, and speak in a voice absurdly like her own.

 _Robin Hood!_

Just as she was about to give voice to this answer the sheriff and her stupid fat friend came barging in. The one-handed wonder was barely a centimeter behind them. They all wore varying degrees of shock on their faces. Apparently the image of a thief holding onto a monkey like a child wasn't nearly as shocking as her begging for the stuffed critter's return.

"Freeze!" Emma said and she was holding her silly gun up like a weapon.

Regina rolled her eyes. The stupid girl had magic and seemed hesitant to use it. Such weakness should never be exposed so freely.

The thief turned in the direction of the newcomers. His smarmy smirk was back on his features. He gave a fancy bow exactly like those of the nobles in the Enchanted Forest. His posture was even perfectly straight. Regina had to admire his courtly prowess even if she was going to kill him.

"Milady," he said.

For some reason the name burned something raw inside Regina's chest. She found herself huffing and puffing profanities towards him the she couldn't control. Emma and the fat one, Friar Tuck? No Little John, his name was Little John; they watched her volley of words with deepening frowns. The pirate even looked worried by such inelegance.

She couldn't even find the energy to care.

"My apologies, your majesty," the thief said and she just knew his voice was dripping with sarcasm, "But I'm afraid our meeting must be cut short. Until the next time."

He was quick to dive under Emma's desk to avoid any possible gunfire. Then he threw the desk in the idiots' direction. She nearly laughed as the burly man took the brunt of the force, struggling for control. Hook pulled out his sword and swiped at the boy. Emma finally used a blast of her magic.

Both missed but not without a victim. A giant tear filled the room with its impressive noise. The thief rolled away, strewing the monkey through the room. Its stuffing now littered the floor and there was nothing Regina could do. She was trapped in a cage watching all her hopes just disappear.

The sheriff made a beeline for the monkey. The thief simply ran away. He didn't even seem torn that he just ruined everything for the mayor of Storybrooke.

"Bastard!" She shouted.

She hoped he got hit by a car.

"It's alright," Emma said and she was already picking up the pieces as if they were some precious jewels, "I can fix it."

Before Regina even had time to scream and beg for mercy, white light filled the air. The monkey was once again whole. The mud and the caked on blood were gone for good. It was whole once more.

"No!" She screamed and those damn tears picked then to fall.

That was it. All hope was lost. The only thing she had that could find her precious Henry was gone. Emma Swan once again ruined her happy ending with her son. She just fixed it without thinking of the consequences, just like her mother.

"Regina," Emma said.

A sudden, gut-wrenching rage began to fill the mayor's lungs. Her body shook with the heat of it. Fire licked away at her heart, arteries and veins. Her fingers trembled with violent magic. It ripped her down into her very soul. She couldn't even scream from the excruciating pain.

A light began to flicker. And then another one. Soon all lights in the sheriff's station were flickering madly, acting as though some great power was draining them whole. Electricity sparked from the florescent light above her head.

On instinct the mayor backed away from the bars. Her fingers shook harder with the boiling rage. Blood became the bitter taste on her tongue. She felt her mind wash with images of hate. Her mother was once again punishing. Rumpelstiltskin laughed at another failed spell. Snow White won another blue ribbon at horse riding competition. Maleficent challenged her to fight, goading her at her folly.

It was too much. All of it was just too much and the fiery rage sprang to her fingertips. Pain seared through her as electricity sparked above her head. She watched as it entered her. She could feel its burn exactly as Owen had pulsed it through her heart days ago.

Vaguely she was aware of Ms. Swan racing towards her. She held her hands out. She wasn't even sure if it was to help or to warn. But the electricity had other thoughts. It burst forth from her hands and melted the bars away. Swan was pulsed back into shattering glass, her office now completely destroyed.

Regina looked down in time to see the electric sparks attacking the cuff on her wrist. With a single bound they ate away at the leathery flesh. Then just as the pain became much too much the bracelet snapped.

 _We are free._

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina was getting nervous. This was their first family outing in days. Robin was supposed to show up fifteen minutes ago. He was supposed to join her and the kids at the park and they were going to feed the ducks.

"When's Papa coming?" Roland asked.

"Soon," Regina replied.

The boy simply nodded his head and continued throwing bed crumbs at the ducklings in his path. He seemed blissful in his actions. He even laughed when Cora tried to mimic him by throwing all of her bread onto the ground below. Henry, chuckling deeply at the babe, picked it up and proceeded to help Roland throw more crumbs into the lake.

Their happiness almost brought ease to the queen's heart. For a moment she could imagine this was just some ordinary day. She wouldn't have to worry about her sister and any possible threat. She would just be free to enjoy the moment and wait.

But Robin was late.

She sent him another frustrated text. Her fifth since his tardiness began. She inwardly sighed when it harbored no reply.

 _Get a grip Regina_ , she thought, _he's probably just caught up in work._

She bit her lip and sent another nervous text. The time was reaching towards the half hour mark. The tiny knot of tension began building in her heart. She felt cold despite the warm breeze tickling her neck.

 _Robin where are you?_

She picked Cora up to disperse some of the tension. The infant gurgled happily at the attention. The queen even found herself easing at the tiny smiles coming from her little girl. She placed the child in her stroller and began walking to the park bench.

She sat down and gently rocked the child back and forth. They were going to take the children to Granny's. It was Roland's one request since their original birthday party plans were put on hold. He didn't even seem to mind the lack of spotlight. He loved hanging out with the one-handed pirate and the savior. They kept him busy from missing home and for that Regina would always be grateful.

"Where is your Papa?" Regina asked Cora.

She knew the child had no answers of her own. She simply felt the need to express herself and the babe wasn't aware enough to be too concerned. Roland and Henry were well out of earshot. Soon they would have to leave and Robin couldn't even send them a reason for his absence.

"Hey mom," Henry said.

She looked up to find her knight and prince walking towards her. Their bread was gone, floating in the lake for ducks and swans alike to enjoy. Both of her boys looked worried. Roland was even voluntarily holding Henry's hand.

"Where's Robin?" Henry asked.

She stood to give him the best lie she could come up with. She was almost convinced that it was the truth. The outlaw often forgot to text her when he was going to be late at work. It was a constant battle for the both of them to overcome. But he had gotten better. He usually sent Will or Arthur with a message of his absence.

Her son's brown eyes stared at her with absolute hope. She found the lie dying on her hips just as her magic started to rear its head. She felt a tug in her stomach. A warning began to rise into her head, forcing her arms into action. She reached out on instinct alone.

Her hand caught the arrow before it could pierce Henry's heart.

"What was that?" Henry asked.

"I don't know," she replied.

She truly had no answer for it. The arrow just appeared out of nowhere. If it wasn't for her magic Henry could have easily lost his life to the shot. But the golden-tipped arrow was extremely familiar, and her heart dropped.

"That's Papa's," Roland said.

He sounded just as surprised as the queen felt. Quickly Henry pulled his little brother into his side. Together than ran to stand behind Regina and await further instructions. The teen's hands were already gripping the stroller's handle when the archer spoke.

"The first was a warning, milady," Robin said.

He appeared from behind the trees. He was wearing his green tunic and fabled green hood. His jeans were discarded for his old tan tights. He looked exactly like the image from Henry's storybook, back when they met in the Enchanted Forest.

"Robin," Regina said, "What are you doing?"

"What I must, milady," Robin said and it was only then that Regina heard the bit of pain.

"I'm slaying the beast who killed my wife."

He raised his bow as if to strike. Regina barely had time to register the move. Her instincts forced her into action. Roland was already confused. Henry looked at her with panic. Cora simply gurgled because she recognized her father's voice, not knowing of the danger behind it.

"Henry, take your siblings and get out of here," she said.

The teen nodded. He pulled Roland tight to his side and began pushing the stroller away. Regina turned around just in time to catch another incoming arrow, this one aimed for her heart.

"Robin?" She said.

"Oh sister dear, surely you wouldn't believe this only his idea."

Regina's entire body froze. A bubbling rage began to fill her veins. Her heart sped up with the thirst for blood. She turned her head to the left only to observe her sister standing there. Zelena was wearing a tight-fitting green dress that left no room to the imagination. Her green boots slithered past her knees. She wore green gloves that held in their grasp a pulsing, beating red heart.

"No!" She gasped.

Storybrooke – Now

Emma awoke to the mayor briskly walking towards her treasured stuffed monkey. She stooped low, hovering over it with electricity still frothing through her fingers. After a moment she bent down and allowed herself the luxury of picking the animal up. Her chocolate gaze took on a purple hue as she disappeared from view. All that was left were a few wisps of stray purple smoke.

"Swan!" Killian called.

He and John were by her side in seconds. She felt herself being pulled upwards with no sense of how. Suddenly a giant piercing pain enveloped her brain. She lowered her head, intending to empty her stomach thoroughly. Instead she was surprised to find a flicker of red in her right eye.

"You're bleeding," Killian said.

His hook came into view along with a wet cloth. Gentle hands worked away at clearing the red sticky glue from her head. After a few agonizing moments her phone popped into view, a pair of giant hands encasing it. Little John pressed the face of her father Prince Charming himself.

"Tell him to meet us at the camp," she said.

She didn't see it but she knew John nodded.

"The camp?" Killian said, "Bloody Hell Swan you're going to the hospital. Forget about the blasted thief."

"Regina's escaped," John said.

Emma smiled. Of course Robin Hood's right hand man would know exactly where her thoughts went. The thief had been there awhile. He knew his way around. He would know the quickest way is through the Merry Men's camp.

And so would Regina.

"The mayor may have no idea who she really is," Emma said, "But she knows Storybrooke. She would know even under a curse that the thief would head straight for the toll bridge."

"Why?" Killian asked, "Isn't that folly?"

"No," John said, "The only way the thief could have snuck in between our rounds was if he knew them. Only way to know them would be…"

"To camp nearby," Emma said, "They're heading for the woods."

"I'm on my way," her father's voice called through the phone line.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Oh yes," Zelena said, "and that's not all."

She moved the heart to her lips. Her red lips moved against the solid thing. It gold with her green magic as it took on her words, her vicious orders. Then from Robin Hood's lips they came to pass.

"I'm choosing wicked," he said.

The words sounded stuttered. They came through clenched teeth and a very clench jaw. Now that he was closer Regina could see every muscle in his body contracted in agony. He was fighting, of that she had no doubt.

Zelena gave his heart a simple squeeze. Robin screamed. Regina felt her own breath leave her lungs. Black spots filled her vision and for a moment, the queen was unaware of her surroundings.

The blaring pain stopped only after the point had been made. Robin was now standing with his bow once again drawn tight. The glittering gold of his arrow's tip gleamed in the sunlight. His blue eyes looked to her pleadingly.

"Now for the witnesses," Zelena said.

Green smoke filled the space between the sisters. The queen nearly screamed when she found her children all lined in a row. Both boys were struggling to free their legs. Henry's arms were even bound tight to his side.

Roland began to cry.

"Oh shut up," Zelena said.

With a wave of her hand the little boy fell silent. Tears continued to cascade down his chubby cheeks. His brown eyes were flicking between his father and the queen. They were filled with horror and too much understanding for one so young.

"Let them go, Zelena," Regina said.

The witch simply shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. She held up Robin's heart and gave a little nudge with her magic. Words she whispered into it ripped out of the outlaw's lips.

"The children are more believable," they said, "No one will question what they see with their own eyes. Not when I'm done with their memories anyways."

"And to make certain there's no cheating."

Zelena stepped forward, pausing only to coo at the child she birthed. Then she walked with purpose to stand next to her sister. A simple flick of her wrist and Zelena's green magic surrounded the queen's left arm. Upon her wrist now stood the black bracelet she came to despise. Immediately Regina's magic began to fade away from her fingertips.

"And to stop you from missing your target," Zelena said, "Aim for her heart, Robbie dear."

The outlaw screamed as his posture straightened. His eyes turned towards her chest, filled with blinding panic. His every muscle began to twitch from its taught stance. His blue eyes flickered up to connect with hers.

"Emma Swan," Henry said, "Emma Swan, Emma-"

Henry's chant of his birth mother's name was ripped from his lungs. He then began to make a choking noise, imprisoned hands unable to fly to his throat. Roland cried harder at the sight.

"I said no cheating," Zelena said.

Her voice was filled with anger and disgust. She waved her left hand and Regina suddenly felt herself rooted to the spot. She looked down, struggling to break free of her invisible hold. She looked up to find Zelena's pale green eyes filled with gloating.

"Can't exactly have you running away now can I?" She said.

"Now, Robbie dear, let's get that arrow exactly where it belongs. Then I can finally have my daughter back and you too will be gone."

"Regina," Robin called and it sounded like his last breath was put into her name alone.

Regina blinked away the harsh tears of frustration and sorrow. Her poor children didn't need to see this. Panic mixed with bile on its way up her throat. Her every muscle ached to unleash the blockade of magic in her veins. But his panicking gaze made everything worse.

"Please," Robin said.

Even as he spoke his posture corrected itself once again. His footing made itself sure. His shoulders squared to release the tension of his bow. He trembled but his aim was true. He would not miss her heart, couldn't. Not with the magic of his bow.

"I forgive you," Regina said because there was nothing else that would help him.

"I love you, Robin. Always and Forever."

Finally, the arrow let go.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian driving the truck was a bad idea. Having the sheriff's siren blasting behind them was worse. But Emma Swan couldn't seem to care. Her eyes kept going cross-eyed and she could feel Killian's panic through Little John.

The burly man was equally enthused. He hated cars of any shape or form. He preferred walking and the only driver he actually could tolerate was Regina, ironically enough. Having Killian behind the wheel gave him a very green complexion and Emma prayed she would not be the intended victim when he finally spewed.

She also wanted to join them.

"Up ahead," Killian said.

Who he was talking to was beyond the sheriff. She knew the town better than its citizens at this point. But she understood he was panicking because of her so she let it slide.

They arrived without any delay, unsurprisingly. They actually had enough foresight to inform every to steer clear of the woods for the next few days. But a few hurried tracks to the left of the troll bridge suggested someone didn't get the message.

"Two separate tracks," David said.

Emma tried to avoid her father's steady gaze. She even looked at the tracks to see if he could tell what he was pointing to. Instead she only found herself feeling dizzy and a bit queasy from time to time.

"What happened to your head, Emma?" David said, "You should go to the hospital."

"Can't," Emma replied and she really hoped she was smiling, "Regina has her magic back and I might be the only one who can stop her. I'll go after, I promise."

"Why didn't you heal yourself?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and then regretted it immediately. The pain was horrible. She took a deep breath and pointed to her head.

"Not easy to heal when you have a killer headache," she said, "I'll take care of it after Whale gives it a look. After the stories Regina's told me I kind of have to make certain he doesn't slip something in the IV."

She chuckled at her dark humor and stepped forward in the direction of the thief's camp. She hoped. Killian was even kind enough to allow her to lean on him and use him as her guide. Together the small group found the tiny tent in no time flat.

There were actually two of them, both white and shaped like a teepee than those buy your tents from a store. A small fire pit lay between them. A couple of logs lined the side without tents. A small circle of stones surrounded the campground like a barrier. Just beyond the largest stone stood a forest green Chevy.

And a yellow bug.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

 _Please,_ Robin begged to any god that would listen.

He felt his body move into action without his permission. His right hand drew back one last time. Just as the tension was at its peak, his hand released the string and arrow.

"Noooo!"

He wasn't certain what was louder, the screaming in his head or out in the air.

He watched with mixed feelings of horror and pain as the arrow zoomed towards the heart of his soulmate. Hot tears prickled the backs of his eyes. Still no emotions showed. Zelena wanted him to watch and he couldn't do that if tears blocked his sight.

So he was forced to see the arrow glide through the air to his greatest doom.

Except what came next wasn't that. Exactly when the arrow fell loose from his bow, his heart began to hammer erratically. A sudden pulse of electric fire sent shockwaves through his blood. He watched as his heart pulsed with a blinding blue light.

A streak of lightning thundered forth from the captive heart. It raced towards the queen's wrist, removing the bracelet just in time. Regina whipped her hand violently. The arrow's target was changed. It plunged into Zelena's shoulder, forcing her to call out in pain.

Regina grabbed his heart and Henry was allowed to call.

"Emma Swan, Emma Swan, Emma Swan!"

The savior appeared before Zelena could get away. Immediately she moved to protect the children, freeing them from their magical binds. A white glow enveloped her hands. She sent a cascade of magic the wicked witch's way.

Zelena blocked the blow with magic of her own. She broke the arrow and cursed her sister. Then she proceeded to build herself a little power surge of electric lights. Emma barely had time to defend herself from the blow.

"Henry get out of here!" Regina and Emma cried in tandem.

Robin simply dropped his bow, refusing to use it ever again. He raced forward. From his belt he withdrew a knife. He jumped towards the wicked witch while Emma had her distracted. Before Regina could even register what was happening, He leapt towards her sister.

Pale green eyes grew wide with something akin to fright. A twitch of her damn wrist and she disappeared. Robin found himself plunged into the depths of green smoke. His knife dug into the ground. He sputtered and coughed, shocked to find his efforts wasted.

"Robin," Regina called.

She rushed towards him, staring at his grounded blade in shock. He looked up into her chocolate for the first time registering fear in her gaze. He looked down at his hands in horror. It was then that he became aware of his tattoo.

It glowed a bright blue.

"How did you escape?" Emma asked.

Robin watched as Regina startled from her stupor. She turned towards the savior with giant doe eyes. Her hands shook over his heart. She didn't even notice the tiny sparks shooting up her arm from it.

"I don't…" she began.

"What the hell?"

Robin's eyes peeled away to Emma's concerned glance. Her green gaze was locked on his sparking heart. Its blue light continued to wrap around the queen's delicate wrist. The electric current peeled up and down the woman's shivering form.

"What?" She asked.

It was she chose to look down. She startled for a moment. Then she lunged forward, pressing none too tenderly the heart back into his chest where it belonged. A jolt of lightning filtered through his whole body and then a strange pull tugged away at his chest. He looked down to find his heart surrounded by a bright yellow light.

"Now she'll never take it again," the queen said.

Robin fell to his knees. Relief flooded his every thought. He suddenly found himself pulling Regina down into his arms. He held on tight and refused to let go.

"I'm sorry," he said over and over.

I'm sorry wasn't nearly enough.

"Regina," Emma said, "What happened?"

The queen pulled away, reluctantly. Her chocolate eyes glistened with unshed tears. Her body still shook with fear, adrenaline, every emotion she carried in that moment. She seemed more in shock than anything else.

"Um," Regina stuttered.

Regina never stuttered.

"I think," she said, "Well…"

She turned a stunned look Robin's way. Her hand flew to his heart, holding on to every single beat. Both of his hands rose to grasp onto hers. His tattoo continued to glow.

It was the distraction she needed. The queen pulled his right hand forward. She bent the tattoo to the setting sunlight. Her fingers gently traced the glowing ink. The blue disappeared as her finger made contact.

"What kind of magic is that?" Emma asked.

"Soulmates," Robin gasped.

Regina's chocolate eyes met his. A simple inclination of her head took place. Her chin hit her chest. Her lips pulled into a tight frown. Her fingers scraped against his lion crest.

"You…" she said, "You have magic too."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The trees and ferns began to rustle from their left. A great movement could be heard as the rustling grew. Two heavy footsteps sounded as the body grew closer. David and Killian both withdrew their swords.

"We need to break camp and move!" A voice said.

It was masculine and sounded exactly like their perpetrator. Emma stepped forward and prepared an impressive scowl. Her hands found home on her hips. Air suddenly found its way into her lungs. The dizziness was almost gone.

"Emma will be here any minute and then we are totally…"

The thief came into view. His mask was no more. His black hood had now dropped. He stood before them with a mop of dark curls on the top of his head. Two giant brown eyes only grew wider at his surprising audience. So his lips pulled back into a dazzling white smile, revealing two dimples denting his young cheeks.

"Screwed," he finished.

Emma didn't even have to nod in agreement. A new rustle sounded not too far away. From the direction of the river a new form joined them.

Her hair was long despite being held back in a ponytail. Her raven tresses reached down well past her shoulder blades and seemed eager to continue their descent. A green leather jacket decorated those shoulders like a glove. Her dark blue jeans hugged her every curve, drenched with water as they were. A pair of black riding boots protected most of her lithe form from the rain water above. And when she turned it was to reveal chubby cheeks and bright blue eyes.

"Oh," she said.

She dropped the fish she held in her gentle grasp. They fell to the ground with a sickening flop. Emma was surprised they were properly gutted and prepared. A sudden queasiness took hold of her stomach when the girl smiled towards them.

"Hello," she said, "I wasn't expecting company."

Her blue eyes darted to the thief with a pointed arched brow. Her porcelain hands hooked onto her hips. A glare that could rival only the Evil Queen pulled onto her features. A single booted right foot began to tap up and down.

"I can explain," the thief said.

Exactly what he could explain was left in the air. A purple smoke began to rise from the fire pit. It twisted and turned until it reached a human height. Then it began to expand until new colors formed. A charcoal grey pantsuit filled the space. Stubborn high-heels clicked into place. Raven locks pulsed down a black trench coat. Mayor Regina Mills was there at last.

The rest was a blur. David went to block fireballs from attacking the thief in question. Killian moved to distract the mayor. John pulled the young girl away. Emma blocked a few attacks with her magic, energy draining with every pulse.

"I will have my revenge," Regina said.

She sounded half-mad the way she spoke. Her whole body was shaking with whatever rage devoured her soul. Emma couldn't stomach Killian's need to attack the mayor full force. She couldn't even begin to grasp the pain she felt when he slammed into a tree.

It was David's turn next to challenge the mayor. Both sheriffs moved as one, David to the mayor and she to the thief refusing to run. Together they worked to dispel the mayor's desperate attempts at destroying the source of her unhappiness.

Then David too found himself hoisted high into the air. He struggled to get in one good hit before he was propelled forward and way from battle. Little John was then locked into a chokehold. All of this was performed with only one hand.

Regina still clasped the monkey tight in her grasp.

"Regina, stop!" Emma said.

She watched as David and Killian both struggled to stand. The blue-eyed girl was staring between them in complete fright. This was probably the worst way to find out about magic's existence. Emma mentally added in a forgetting potion to her list of responsibilities. Hopefully she could do it without the mayor's help.

"Get out of the way, Swan!" Regina said.

She raised a fireball through the sky and sent it hurling her way. Emma blocked it easily. It was the second lesson Regina gave her, stopping fireballs and creating shields. It was the first time fun became a word they used to describe their time together. So naturally it was with bitterness that Emma allowed her magic to flourish and grow.

"Stop this," Emma begged, "I don't want to hurt you."

"We both know that's not what a hero does."

The witch threw more fireballs her way. Each one hit and drained against the little energy the sheriff had left. David and Killian were now joined by the Merry Men. All were fighting against flaming monsters that spluttered to life from the mayor's hands.

There were enough people to require two hands now. Regina had delicately placed the stuffed monkey at her side, stepping away only a few feet. She was still aiming for the thief. Purple began to spike through her chocolate irises. She looked more deranged than during her Evil Queen days.

Another fireball soared through the air, hitting Emma's shield square in the middle. The break was loud enough to break the sound barrier. Everyone grabbed at their ears. The sheriff looked away for only a moment and suddenly found herself slamming into the muddy earth below.

"Finally!" Regina said.

She pulled her right hand forward. A giant fireball filled all space between her fingertips. She stepped forward, reveling the victorious moment. She had no idea how far away from her precious toy she was.

Emma stared at the mayor's glowing hand. The stuffed monkey stood only a few feet away. Regina was on the verge of a warpath. If she did nothing now the lives at stake were more than just the foolish thief before her. So the decision was easy to make.

The sheriff dived down on the ground, rolling out of the way of a predicted fireball. She quickly latched onto the monkey and pulled on every thought that made her angry. She thought of the many tortures she would provide to the person who took away Regina's memories. Of the frustration of not finding her mother or brother. The disappearance of Henry grinding on her last nerves. A fire formed in her palm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina screamed.

Emma bit her lip, knowing she should smirk like a villain and finding no courage to do so. Her eyes hurt from the many emotions plaguing her heart. Still she held on tight to the stuffed monkey. The flames licked happily inches away from its plush legs.

"I have light magic, Regina," Emma said, "You know you can't stop me."

"No!" Regina said and her voice was laced so heavily with desperation.

"The way I see it," Emma continued, "You have only two options. You either take this monkey and leave us alone."

The mayor took a small step forward, eager to have her hands on the plush trinket. But her chocolate eyes kept darting to the thief. A fireball coursed forward from the depths of her palm. Her hungry lips were parted in thirst of blood.

"Or," Emma said, "You can kill the thief and watch me destroy the only thing you have of your son."

The sheriff refused to give in to the mayor's fantasies. She would not ignore Roland any more than she could Henry. The outlaw's son had wormed his way into her heart just as much as everyone else's. She would never discard the preschooler as anything less than Roland Hood. So she refused to say his stuffed monkey was Henry's. She wouldn't give Zelena or whomever responsible the satisfaction.

"Either way I will be making an arrest today," Emma said, "So who's it gonna be? You or the thief?"

Regina flinched at the sheriff's nickname but there was doubt she even knew why. The mayor kept darting her eyes between the monkey and the thief, weighing her options with calculating thoughts. Finally she reached the conclusion Emma had hoped for. The flames in her grasp disappeared.

A raging fire fluttered in Emma's right hand. The stuffed monkey fell into a purple fog. Emma's flames jumped towards the thief without a second thought. She had to fight the smile when she saw the monkey held tightly against the mayor's chest.

"Watch yourself, Savior," Regina said, "This is not the end."

She disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Emma didn't even have time to unleash a witty remark or engage in their usual pleasantries. The satisfaction of a job well done dissolved into a bout of loathing and wallowing pity. She won the battle but the mayor still did not remember who she really was.

"How did you know she would choose?" The thief asked.

Emma turned in his direction. She felt puzzled by his brown-eyed gaze. He gave no thought to the flames entrapping him. He didn't even flinch at their warm glow. He simply kept his eyes glued to her, curiosity so blatant on his features.

"Regina is a mother," she said, "She will always choose her children first."

 _Even when she thinks she only has one and is still evil as sin,_ her thoughts finished bitterly.

The thief simply nodded and dimpled chuckle tried to escape from his lips. He cut it off before it could become anything concrete. His brown gaze rose back to her. Emma found herself flabbergasted by the shininess in there. He looked as though he understood her to her very core.

"Now," she said, "You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…"

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law," the thief said, "I am aware of Miranda rights and frankly I wave them. Just take me to my cell. And may I put in a request for anything but Granny's on the dinner menu?"

Emma tightened his cuffs in agitation. She then proceeded to make notes on exactly what she would order him from Granny's; the slimiest, greasiest item on the list of course. She also read him his Miranda Rights anyway.

Her father and Killian couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 **In the next chapter:**

With her plans thwarted, Zelena confronts Rothbart for an alliance that would give them both what they want. Gold demands a steep price for the thief's freedom, prompting Emma to investigate more than the girl with blue eyes.


	7. Name?

Storybrooke – Then

Zelena was furious. She was downright outraged! Her sister had once again thwarted her plans and this time she did it because of her stupid soulmate. It wasn't fair.

 _Life's not fair, Zelena._

The wicked witch scowled at the Evil Queen's voice. She hated that it was even there, in the back of her mind, whispering away and reminding her of all of her shortcomings.

 _It's not too late. You can still go back and ask for forgiveness._

The scowl deepened. There was no going back. She just declared war on her little sister. And Regina's precious Robin Hood would never stand for it. He'd be first in line to beg for her blood and dine on the wicked witch's flesh. After all, it was his daughter he would be freeing from the witch's wicked grasp.

 _There's good in you. I've seen it. I've been exactly where you were,_ Regina's voice said.

Except she hadn't, not really. Regina had been queen. She didn't know the first thing about living a rough life. She only knew comfort. She only had to give a single command and every want would be fulfilled. She didn't even have to work for it.

 _She killed thousands and gave away everything for a child!_

Zelena couldn't stand this. She was supposed to be the victor. She was supposed to get everything. She worked for it. She proved herself worthy of such power a billion times over. Her daughter deserved somebody in control, someone with true power.

 _Power is nothing without love._

Zelena scoffed. At some point she must have grown some semblance of a conscious. It was probably how her sister convinced her to give away her child to begin with. No, she tricked her. Cora was her daughter and there was nothing her sister could do to change that.

The wicked witch looked into the mirror of bedroom. Her pale green eyes observed her crumpled black wardrobe. Her green dress had been ruined. The thief's stupid arrow made certain of that. She flicked her wrist, thinking of something a bit more appropriate.

A green jacket appeared on her shoulders. Its comfortable leather was perfect for traversing the outdoors of Maine. Thick black riding boots decorated her feet. Her legs were draped in a tight black skinny jean. An emerald halter top flittered around her torso. Her red hair was now wrapped in a sleek bun and her make-up was perfectly refreshed.

"There," she spoke to her mirror for there was no one else to talk to, "Much better."

 _How was she going to take her daughter now?_

A loud bang interrupted her musings. The pitter-patter of many feet struck her precious wooden floors. Zelena rolled her eyes at the heroes' predictability. They were already climbing up the stairs, barging into her house without consideration for her own feelings.

It was the savior who burst forth from the door first. She entered the room with her gun held high before her. She stepped forward with caution. She pointed it around all corners before waving the next person in. It was her pirate of course.

He held a gun in his hand too. His hook hovered under his right elbow. He kept his stance as he too used his gun to scan the room. A sword peeked out from behind. Prince Charming himself stepped through the door and twirled the wretched weapon heroically.

Zelena rolled her eyes at all three of them.

 _No wonder Regina calls them idiots,_ she thought.

The savior was the first to lower her gun. Her green eyes blinked profusely and she looked rather confused. She holstered her weapon at her side. She tucked her white turtle-neck over it. Then she proceeded to adjust her god-awful red jacket.

"She's not here," Emma said.

Zelena rolled her eyes. What a terrible waste of magic the savior proved to be. She refused to even use it to help her friends. All of that power and she still preferred her silly stick instead.

"Are you sure?" Charming asked and the savior's father even put his sword away too.

She could kill them all and Regina would be powerless to stop it. She could make her little sister suffer just by killing her stupid friends. But that would also make it harder to get her daughter and that was utterly useless.

"Do you see her?" Hook asked, "She's clearly retreated to another location. I suggest we bide our time and ask the queen for a location spell."

"No," Charming said, "We are not putting Regina through any more pain now. She and Robin both need to spend time with their children. If we need magic, Emma will take care of it."

Zelena rolled her eyes again. Honestly they made everything so difficult. It was just a cloaking spell. Any amateur sorcerer could find it. She really wasn't trying. She wanted a fight.

"We won't need it," the blonde savior said, "She'll find us first."

"But do we really want her to?" Hook asked, "The wee princess could be caught in the crossfire."

"No," Charming shook his head, "Zelena wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her daughter. It's Roland and Henry I'm worried about."

"First Rothbart and now Zelena," Emma said, "Things just keep getting better and better."

 _Rothbart?_ Zelena thought.

The witch's face pulled back in glee. Her heart buzzed with happy magic. She could already feel the plans forming in her head. All she needed to know was who this mystery villain was and how she could get her hands on him.

 _Or her_ , she vaguely corrected.

"There is a difference, love," Hook couldn't help but say, "Zelena can be stopped. We have no idea what this Lord Rothbart character is made of. Only that he wishes to make Robin suffer."

"His magic is quite powerful," the prince agreed, "Who do we go after first? Zelena has revealed her plan…"

"But Rothbart hasn't and right now he's more dangerous because of it," Emma said, "Let's get out of here and regroup. This witch's magic is making me queasy."

The trio left without a backwards glance. Zelena was practically on cloud nine. The wicked witch waved her hand and a lovely, inviting map revealed itself. She hummed at its wonderful arrival, walking towards it with an extra pep in her step.

"Now," she told it, "Tell me where this Lord Rothbart is."

With a wave of her hand, her magic went to work. The map pulsed and pulled until a perfect trail began to form from her farmhouse to a wonderful green 'X' in the middle of the woods.

 _Excellent_ , Zelena thought.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Charming did his best not to look back. His left hand twitched over his trusty sword. His mind whirled with possibilities. He forced his feet to step forward with no extra caution. His gaze remained on his cherry red truck and the yellow bug standing side by side.

"Do you think she bought it?" Hook quietly asked.

Emma kept her lips firmly thin as she answered.

"Of course she did," she said, "She wasn't even trying to disguise her magic. I could smell her a mile away and that was without Regina's enhancement potion. Trust me, she's taken the bait."

"Are we even certain this is the best idea?" Hook said, "Leading her to another enemy seems like a good way to smite us where we stand."

"What other choice do we have?" Emma said, "Rothbart isn't from this land. Zelena is the only one who can lead us right to him."

"But what if it's a trap?" Charming asked and he hated himself for even asking, "What if Zelena already beat us to the punch."

"If that had been the case she would have done something far more drastic than take Robin's heart and have him almost kill Regina," Hook said, "No, Emma's right. Zelena is the only choice we have."

"Besides, the witch has been defeated on several occasions by each of us one way or another. Rothbart is the unpredictable foe we've never before faced."

"Rather the enemy you know than the one you don't," Charming nodded.

It made sense. Their plan was simple. They only needed to convince Zelena that an alliance was in her best interest. Regina was already waiting for them at the old well. Robin had his men scouring the woods to stick to the witch's trail. If anything went wrong Snow, their best tracker, would find them a way out in a hurry.

There was no need to worry. So the prince casually forced himself to open his cherry red door and ignored every instinct to go back into the farmhouse, sword swinging. He watched the pirate already make himself at home in his daughter's car.

Charming scowled at the one-handed man, eyes narrowed with suspicion and warning.

Hook didn't even have time to smile or look annoyed. Emma slammed her car door shut and briskly walked towards the farmhouse door. Her father and boyfriend were forced to take long strides to catch up. They may have been unaware of her quick change, but they were quick to catch up.

"Grab anything that looks important," the savior said, "Regina's got the location spell ready."

"I'm assuming we're looking for something green," Hook said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Name?"

"Imma," the man said.

"I'm uh?" Killian asked, "What the hell kind of name is that?"

"Imma not gonna tell you."

David threw his pencil down in frustration. His left hand shot to embrace his nose. Red and green sparks of anger began to flash before his eyes. Tiredness and fatigue were taking him over. He grabbed his Styrofoam coffee cup, already cold and disgusting.

"You do realize that we have every right to search your belongings," the sheriff said.

The thief kindly rolled his big, brown eyes. He puffed out his chubby cheeks, dimples on full display. His tongue peaked out and his cuffed arms crossed as well as they could. He shrugged his shoulders and unleashed a breathy reply.

"You've already ran my prints," he said, "Why spoil the mystery?"

"I say we leave him to Swan," Hook said, "He obviously lacks intelligence. Why else would he steal from the **Crocodile**?"

The thief's lips parted into a happy grin. Dimples pulled away at his cheeks. His brown orbs grew bright with delight. His arms relaxed. His fingers danced upon the wooden table.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," he said, "I've stolen no such crocodile though I am definitely adding that to my list."

He looked smug sitting in his chair, cuffed to the table. His black sweatshirt revealing a forest green t-shirt beneath. His mop of brown curls fanned out from his head. But a single sparkle around his neck soon caught David's eye. He leaned forward, pretending to take another sip of his coffee. It was then he noticed a purple glint attached to the chain.

The sheriff moved without thinking. He quickly grabbed the thief by the shoulders and scooped up the elusive necklace, up over his head and out for all to see.

"That's mine you asshole!" The thief said.

He tried to raise his chained hands up to take it. David raised the necklace higher, carrying it away to observe it in better lighting. He ignored the monotonous tones of the thief yelling after him. He even seemed immune to Hook's whispered protests. He just stared at the necklace and walked right out the interrogation room door.

It was a simple, elegant golden chain. There was nothing too special about it other than the way it was meant to plunge down and be easily hidden from sight. It was only sheer luck that allowed the purple object on its end to be seen. A purple stone hung limp from a platinum chain. The oval shape stood in stark contrast to its golden counterpart, stitched together by a crass melted metal.

"Dad," Emma said, "What's going on?"

The sheriff looked to his wonderful daughter, eyes filled with confusion and concern. She looked so much like her mother that David found a ball forming uninvited in his throat. He quickly swallowed down the cotton like lump. He stepped forward and raised the golden chain for his daughter to see.

"Do you recognize this?" David asked.

Emma shook her head, frowning as she studied the object.

"It looks pretty gaudy for a thief to be hanging onto," she said, "Family memento?"

"It's a royal stone clasp," David said, "I only recognized it because I've been face to face with this particular clasp several times too many. This was swinging over my head when the first curse ravaged our castle."

"That's mine and you have no right to it!"

David was stunned to find broad shoulders crashing into him. He was slammed against a wall air knocked from his lungs instantly. Black spots filled his vision. A greedy, warm slimy hand pulled and hauled on the necklace and its self-made pendant.

A strong force knocked the thief off, giving the sheriff much needed breathing room. He looked to find the young man clawing away at Killian Jones. He was even drawing blood from the man's cheeks. He looked rabid in his demented rage. Foam spilled from his lips, brown eyes nearly white in panic.

David smiled and raised the necklace like a fishing lure in front of him.

"What's your name?" He said.

The thief stopped thrashing at once. Genuine hurt filled his features before a quickly disciplined mask floated onto his face. He allowed his anger to show, standing at perfect attention. His arms raced to put his outfit back in proper order. He worked hard swiping at the crinkles and invisible crumbs. He quickly patted away at his hair, fixing the mop into its usual fan of curls. He looked ever the image of the perfect gentleman.

Yet his brown eyed gaze refused to release the twirling purple stone from its grasp.

David frowned as he observed the young man. There was something familiar about the way he stood, like a hunter ready to prowl. His broad shoulders were set back and forced his stance into an appropriate position of royalty. But his footwear, black boots with rough soles for all-terrain, suggested someone familiar with the woods backwards and forwards. His chin held high in the air against his disdain for all around him.

"Ryder Wood," the thief said, "My name is Ryder Wood."

He stepped forward only then revealing the handcuffs from his pocket. He tossed them towards Emma as if they were meaningless baubles. He took careful steps towards the sheriff, his shoulders arched back like a dignified bowman. His brown eyes narrowed ever so gently until his hatred came through.

"And that pendant was my mother's."

He yanked the necklace away, placing it back over his head. A moment passed where his features softened as they gently clasped the purple stoned jewel. He looked almost like a child the way his hands reveled in the feel of the beautiful gem. But his dimples disappeared and a new mask was on. He looked in mild disgust when he closed the interrogation room door.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"A hat?" The queen looked mildly annoyed.

Charming rolled his eyes. He held the stupid green hat and waved it in presentation. Regina merely glared at him before snatching it away. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Robin and Snow in deep conversation. Blue sparks were already sputtered away in the outlaw's palms. Apparently Snow was trying to calm him down.

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

Another glare was the queen's reply. Charming would have rolled his eyes again if he wasn't eyeing the outlaw talking to his wife. The blue sparks started to get more active. He could see Robin attempting to shake them out. Just as the prince was about to interfere, Emma appeared with a cooling hand and a calming white light.

"Do we have any other choice?" Regina asked, "This is our only option."

The prince turned towards her, ignoring her knowing looks of betrayal in favor of the hat in her grasp. It glowed a bright purple and blue light as it inched higher and higher in the air. He grabbed it to keep the thing from floating away.

"Now," the queen said, "Robin only knows the one spell so you have to give him room to take the shot."

She looked nervous as she spoke. Her chocolate eyes were already red-rimmed with worry. Her fingers shook even as she tried to hide it. She looked on the verge of a panic attack and still she spoke on.

"His spell won't do much but it will be enough to disarm Rothbart and Zelena together with one good punch. You have to quickly put the bracelet on Rothbart and then pour the poppy dust all over Zelena. Then shout Emma's name and we will do the rest. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Charming said.

Regina nodded, visibly repulsed at the idea of allowing this plan into motion. But they had all agreed. This was the best way to get their enemies out of the way. Robin's magic was still untapped and in its early stages. Its uncontrollable nature made any spell he attempted a powerhouse of magic. Regina wouldn't even let him practice more than the words to keep the volatile mix from dispersing.

"This will be his first spell," she said, "his aim will be off and he won't be able to predict its outcome. Don't stand too close and don't go in there until Rothbart and Zelena are completely out."

The prince nodded his head, noticing the nervous twinge of energy in the air. He could feel warm flames tasting the edges of his skin. His hand began to burn with the intense heat. Charming shot out his hand, ensnaring the queen and forcing her magic to disperse.

The relief was not welcome.

"He'll be fine," he said, "I promise you no harm will come to him while I am there to protect him."

Regina nodded and her lips parted with a lonely breath. Her hand grasped his tightly, squeezing with every ounce of fear she had. Her chocolate eyes shot once in the direction of her soulmate. Then they turned back on the prince and she pulled him into a surprising embrace.

"Make certain you and the other idiots make it back too," she said.

She pulled away as if nothing had even happened. She even removed her hand from his. She tried to put on a mask of disgust but it looked disgruntle at best. A small smile formed on his lips as she spoke.

"Emma would never forgive me if my boyfriend killed you guys."

He inclined his head forward, motioning to the pirate to take his position. Hook was their decoy. Out of all of them he and Robin were the most in danger. Should their timing be off even a centimeter, Hook would fall victim to the blast. Chancing Rothbart and Zelena's lives was worth it for their family's safety, Hook's life was not.

"Okay," Emma said, "We've only got one shot at this so make it a good one. If any of you have any doubts leave immediately. Their location changing is nothing compared to your lives."

She looked pointedly to Robin on that last one. The outlaw nodded his head, two dimples barely marring his face. He shrugged his shoulders when Snow gave him a nice pat on the back. Then Emma stepped forward to grant Captain Hook a kiss.

"And if any of you get any ideas about being a hero and refusing to give up on this plan when necessary," Regina warned, "please note that you will be forced to face the united power of the Evil Queen and Dark Swan."

A rousing chuckle of half-hearted glee filled the air around them. A unanimous silent agreement filtered through the looks of all compatriots. Emma pulled away from Hook and hugged both of her parents with gusto. She stood in the center, holding out her hand to the lingering queen. Regina gave Robin and quick peck on the lips and disappeared in a trail of the savior's patented white smoke.

"Well," said Hook, "Shall we begin?"

Charming shared a look of concern with his wife. Snow gave him a soft smile, firm gaze and nodded her head. He released the hat at her fantastic urging. Then Hook began the trek to follow, Charming and Robin at a more sedate pace. Snow was left to follow carefully behind, fear hissing steadily at the back of their necks.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma stared at him as if he had three heads.

"What was the point of that?" She asked, "Now he's not going to tell us anything!"

David tried hard not to roll his eyes. His daughter definitely had her mother's temper. There were so many similarities between Emma and May-Margaret. It was almost impossible not to miss his wife every time he gazed at their little girl.

"Well," the sheriff said, "Now we know his name."

This time it was Emma who rolled her eyes. She flicked her hands high in the air, exasperation decorating her every breath. She stepped into his personal space with her right pointer finger sticking into his chest quite painfully.

"You are not allowed to interview him without me, understand?" She asked.

He wanted to protest just like a child. He could feel the words ripping towards his lips and struggle to take form. But his tongue was thankfully quick to squeeze down against those evil words of frustration. David quickly smiled and nodded his head in understanding.

Emma gave him a gentle look with sadness in her eyes.

"It's not that I don't trust you," she said, "I just have more experience in this kind of thing."

He nodded and even managed a soft chuckle.

"Killian, you take the prisoner back to his cell," she said, "Dad and I will talk to the possible accomplice."

"Bloody hell Swan," Killian replied, "Why am I stuck on baby-sitting duty again?"

"Because you didn't do a good enough job the first time!"

Emma went into the second interrogation room without a backwards glance. Killian stepped forward to follow just as expected. David had to be quick to even keep him in the hallway. The deputy unleashed a hardy growl of protest. Betrayal flashed through his ocean blue eyes.

"Don't," David said, "She's like her mother. She needs space. She knows what happened wasn't your fault."

"Aye," Killian said, "Which is why she's been tasking me with remedial labor all day!"

"She doesn't blame you…" the sheriff was careful in placing his hands on the deputy's shoulders, "She's just upset with everything that's going on. You know what kind of stress she's under. Let me talk to her."

Killian nodded his head. He shrugged out of the sheriff's grasp and walked to the thief in the other room. He was not gentle when closing the door.

David sighed. This was just making everything better. Now his daughter and her boyfriend were at odds. As if his missing wife, child and grandson were not enough. Well, at least he had something to focus on.

He went into the second interrogation room with a deep heavy sigh.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Zelena hated waiting. It was next to munchkins on the list of things she hated most, second only to her little sister obviously. So to say that she was impressed with her lack of warm welcome was an understatement. In fact, she was rather livid.

 _It's not fair,_ she thought, _I do all the work and nobody gives me any of the credit. Where has this little beastie gone now?_

She was about to leave. She even formed plans to terrorize the savior and her precious pirate, a feat that would make her sister's life more miserable each and every day. But a soft hoot sounded from above. The witch had enough time to look up and see a giant bird swooping down towards her.

She stepped back slowly, unsure of what to do. Red smoke surrounded the great owl, swallowing it down until a man appeared in its place. He was a nobleman. Of that the wicked witch had no doubt. He wore a crest on his black suit of armor and a red cape of expensive silk. He stood tall with the every expectation of others bowing down to him. His black eyes fell away until they were blue.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Zelena curtsied out of politeness. She swallowed down her scornful words and gazed upon this apparent wizard with a smiling face. She stood to her attention and allowed her magic to do the talking for her.

A simple black and red rose appeared in her hand.

"I'm Zelena," she said, "and I think we can help each other out quite nicely."

The man before her stepped forward with barely piqued interest. He took her delicate rose and gently lifted it to his nose. He savored the smell, closing his now blue eyes. When he opened them again it was with blackness taking over. A simple wave of his hand and Zelena felt all the air rush away from her lungs.

Her hands leapt to remove the invisible strings choking the life out of her. Her pale green gaze turned hateful as she stared at the man. She allowed her electric magic to take effect. Tiny tendrils of lightning vibrated forth from her fingertips.

The man laughed at her attempt. He waved his hand again and Zelena felt her magic stop completely. Her pale green eyes blew wide, fright finally taking hold. She flopped her red hair up to stare at her captor.

"I have no use for you," he said, "You have no true respect for the craft. You're powerful I will admit, but so foolish. You do not truly hunger to learn all that you can."

He released her then. He didn't even blink an eye as she choked on the air around her. Zelena hated him for making her feel so weak. But she needed him and that she despised far more. Her hands sparked with green lightning. She felt a giant ball of heat radiate from her whole soul. She pushed the energy out until she knew her magic sparked.

It became a ball of fire that exploded in the man's face. He was caught unaware and lapsed his magical hold. Zelena could breathe once more. She swallowed down the coughs wishing to erupt. It was with practice ease that she rose to stand at her full height and glower over him.

"I'm not exactly some innocent flower," she said.

The man's black eyes turned blue once more. The corner of his lips slowly turned upward. He delicately inclined his head in an acknowledgement of her prowess. Then he turned her rose into a mirror and flourished it about.

"Your magic," he said, "It feels familiar."

He waved his hand and an image appeared in the mirror. Zelena was pleased to recognize the face within. She practically sparkled with the magic in her veins. Her left hand reached out, a soft hum emitting from her throat.

"You have found my sister's mirror," she said.

The man's eyebrow rose steadily. His sandy brown hair lopped to the side as he observed her closely. A small smile burst forth from his poker face. His blue eyes were sparkling with mischief and mirth.

"Regina," he said and Zelena scowled at the sound of praise when he spoke the queen's name.

"You are related to her?"

Zelena rolled her eyes and fought the impulse to smite him where he stood. She delicately raised her hand in a vague gesture of commitment. But she couldn't fight the snarl that formed at his too eagerly pleased expression.

Perfect, she thought, yet another delicate flower for my sister to pluck.

The man chuckled.

"It is not what you think," he said, "Your sister and I have entwined destinies. Fate has brought us together and corrected a great wrong."

Oh buggar, Zelena silently raged, the man fancies himself in love with her. Great another besotted fool looking to moon all over my little sister. And I had so hoped he would be a worthwhile ally.

The man chuckled again. He waved his hand over the delicate mirror and showed the very image of her dear little sister. It was of a past long ago. Regina was standing face to face with a genie who wished to never leave her side, to always gaze upon her half-decent face and always be with her. And her little sister, the devil that she was, smiled when he was trapped as her mirror forever.

"You think me as foolish as this mirror," the man said, "But I assure you, my affection for your sister grows deeper than that."

This time Zelena didn't bother fighting the scowl on her features. She stuck her tongue out in disgust and began stepping away. Her insides warmed with her contained rage.

 _This wanker_ , she seethed, _he merely wants to replace Robin as my sister's pet. How could I have been so stupid?_

"How indeed?" The man asked.

Zelena felt her whole body freeze. Vaguely she began to consider this man's power. Perhaps he could read her thoughts. Rumpelstiltskin always hinted at the possibility.

"I see you too have been schooled by my old teacher," the man said, "I agree that the foolish false-king you call Robin is a besotted pet, if that helps. But your anger towards your sister is of no use to me. If you merely wish her harm then we cannot be allies. And you probably already know what I do with my allies."

Zelena felt flickers of fear scramble up her spine. She stepped away from him, her eyes ever cautious. But she kept her thoughts perfectly blank and her features schooled. She could feel his foreign magic working towards him, a soft tingle of darkness cracking through her mind. It was cool and almost as soothing as ice on a warm summer's day.

"Impressive," he said and the witch did not understand why.

"You might be of use to me after all. There aren't many who can keep their minds closed to me and far fewer who cared enough to try. You and your sister have that in common… as well as my unfortunate nephew whom we both seem to dislike."

 _Nephew?_ Zelena allowed the thought to pass through. She felt a stab of pain as more cool ice attempted to invade her mind. But she fought it off with everything she had. She felt warmth envelope her brain and knew she won.

"You knew they would follow you," the man said, "And yet you allowed them to… why?"

Zelena smiled. Yes, even with the savior's pirate creeping quietly through the woods she knew. Just as she realized how vital she had just become.

"Why because of my little countercurse," she said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Why am I here?"

David had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. He stood by the door simply in case Killian needed his help. His little girl was certainly holding her own.

"My name is Emma Swan," she said, "and this is David Nolan. We're the sheriffs of this little town."

The girl sitting before her looked completely unamused. She didn't even look surprised at Emma's speech. She just flicked her raven ponytail and lazily straightened her posture until her back was perfectly aligned in the chair. She cross her green leather clad arms across her chest. Then she had the nerve to be haughty.

"Two sheriffs in a small town in Maine and neither one of you can answer the question: What am I doing here?"

Her blue eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Her bottom lip sucked in to be bitten by her top teeth. She flicked her raven ponytail again, looking extremely impatient.

"You are here to answer questions about a robbery," Emma said, "A robbery that we believe you are involved in."

"Do you have any evidence to suggest that I am involved in this supposed crime?" The girl asked.

Her voice held nothing but snark. She kept shrugging her shoulders as if she had better places to be. She even moved to check her phone, a device they were quick to confiscate when she first entered the building, at least a dozen times a second. She was fidgety at best.

"Your involvement is exactly what is under question," Emma said, "and as the lead on this case I have every right to ask of you whatever I want. So, what would you like to tell me?"

"About what?" The girl said, "I don't even know what this robbery is… Who's behind it? Who's the victim? When did this robbery occur? I've only been here for a week and I haven't left the woods at all. Well except when I needed to get gas for the bug but hey… it happens."

She shrugged her shoulders again and wore a mask of indifference. The girl had bite, David was certain of it. There was just something not right with the girl. She was too schooled. She didn't even seem disturbed by everything she saw. She acted as though nothing out of the ordinary even happened.

"Where were you two nights ago?" Emma said, "That was the night of the crime."

"I was camping," the girl replied, "In the woods where nobody saw me. So I guess that question did not go the way I wanted. Next question?"

"Have you ever been in Mr. Gold's shop?" Emma asked.

"The pawnshop that's never open?" The girl asked, "That's by the gas station, right? Does it have food in there? And by food I mean things of edible nature that are green and filled with a nutritional value? Preferably organic."

David was a bit too slow to stop the laughter. A little snort flew from his lips and escaped through his nose. He tried to bite down on the smile forming on his face. He could tell simply by the hard look his daughter gave him that he failed, miserably.

"Look I know that you want to protect your boyfriend…"

"He's not my boyfriend," the girl sounded adamant at least.

"Then why protect him?" Emma asked, "If he has nothing on you and you truly did nothing wrong what's the point? He's just going to try to turn it on you anyway."

"He would never," the girl replied.

"Oh he would," Emma said, "I've seen several times before. He's a dirty rotten criminal and they're all the same. They work until they get what they want and right now, hon, all he wants is a get out of jail free card and you're it-"

"Don't you dare!"

The girl leapt to her feet, raven ponytail flailing widely behind her. Her hands formed tight fists at her sides. She may have been no more than average height, 5' 6" maybe 5' 8", but she still managed to fill the room with her presence. Her cheeks grew red and her blue eyes turned dark.

"You don't know him," she said, "Don't you dare act like you do! That man has more honor in his pinky than you could ever possibly know. Don't you dare pretend you know anything, Sheriff Swan!"

She punctuated her words by slamming both fists on the table. Then her stubborn features glared down at the blonde, staring Emma down as if she were the young child who knew no better. Her shoulders and chest heaved with every breath.

Emma sat calmly in her spot. David could see her features but he was positive surprise would be there. He'd never seen someone so quick to burst before. Their criminals usually gave away vital information just to get rid of the savior. Of course, this girl was unaware of his daughter's true power so perhaps that was the source of such fire.

"Listen," Emma said and her voice was tinged with pain of past wrongs, "I understand that you care about him… that you want to protect him. But you have to understand… he doesn't care about you."

The girl's fists uncurled. Two flat palms pressed against the wooden table. She pulled her body so she was leaning threateningly over the blonde sheriff. Then her bright blue eyes beamed with sudden amusement.

"You have no idea how wrong you are," she said.

Then she proceeded to stand straight as if nothing ever happened. She straightened her jacket and combed through her hair. She pinched her cheeks to alleviate some redness. Then a smile with tiny divots took over her face.

"Now," she said, "Since you have nothing to hold me and I sense no evidence to charge me with whatever made up crime this is. I will be going on my way."

David felt his gut drop from under him. Emma rose to her feet immediately. Both began to protest the girl's need to exit. But her words stopped them cold.

"Good-bye, Ms. Swan."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Charming felt his heart plummet the moment Zelena's pale green gaze made contact with Hook. He brandished his sword and immediately nodded to the man. The pirate dived out of harm's way just as the prince spoke.

"Now!"

Robin didn't even pause to consider. He focused all of his energy on the pair before him. His blue eyes grew brighter as the energy coursed forth. A powerful ball of light leapt from his arms and zoomed towards Zelena and Rothbart. The witch looked shocked when raising her left hand did nothing to stop the balls progress.

But the blue ball of lightning never made it to its target. Rothbart lazily flicked his wrist and the ball fizzled out. A reverberating crack sounded off, a harsh wind emitted towards all. Charming was on his back before he could even comprehend what happened. He looked to his right to find his sword sizzling not too far away from him. His right arm was bent at a strange angle, red and black splotches decorated his once flannel sleeve. The thick smell of burning hair and skin filled his nose.

The prince tried to pull himself up from the squishy, sodden earth. Black spots flared his vision but he forced them back. It was with a heavy grown and strategic planning that the great Prince Charming rose to his feet. He was stunned to find himself face to face with a field of black.

"Silly shepherd," Rothbart said, "Did you really think my nephew's power would be enough to defeat me?"

"Your nephew?" Charming said.

He turned away from Rothbart's deep black eyes to look towards the outlaw in question. Robin Hood was helping Snow White to stand to her feet. He looked completely unharmed while Snow and Hook both wore faces decorated with bruises. A hazy blue fog grew to stand before him, his arm stretched protectively over the princess' torso. His bright blue eyes were black with rage.

It was the witch who stood ready to attack. Her angry gaze flickered between Hook and Snow in equal looks of loathing. She sent a raging ball of fire towards the blue fog in front of the outlaw. The only sign of damage seemed to be Robin flinching and looking mildly pained.

"Magic," Rothbart cursed.

Charming's focus returned to his new, far too powerful enemy. The black eyes were filled with manic sparks. His mouth pulled back in a vicious snarl. He looked perplexed by this twist of events. Surprise, however the prince was loath to note, was nowhere to be found on his features.

"You thought untapped magic would be enough for me?" Rothbart cursed, "You are dealing with magic so powerful it has connected two souls and claimed them to be forever as one!"

The manic hatred rolling off his tongue stopped. Rothbart's dangerous grip found home on the prince's lapels. Hot air puffed off of the man and onto Charming's face. His breath reeked of power and malice. A steady stream of air escaped through his disgusting nose and hovered until calm fell on his features.

A deep freeze filtered through the prince's mind. It was cold stab of pain that just refused to go away. Images of the plan began to teeter into his conscious. Regina explained how Robin's magic could be of use. She informed them of the dangers having herself and Emma near would be. How they would fall prey to the magical outburst for it would react to the very magic in their blood. Roland and Henry had begged their mother not to leave them, to stay at home in the mansion instead of having Belle babysit.

Charming watched as their attack failed all over again. He could see the wind hitting Hook first, knocking him backwards into a tree and slamming his head into the hard wood. He could see it racing towards Snow and how her bruises were caused because Robin tried to protect her first. Then the wind hit him square in the chest and pain filled his heart until there was almost nothing but black.

"David!"

It was Snow's voice that alerted him to the unbearable screech in his ears. A few seconds later he realized that horrific sound was coming from him, pouring from his lips as the ice began to recede from his mind. A dull ache began to patter through his skull and dizziness threatened to take him.

"Where is she?" Rothbart demanded.

Charming was proud to note frustration was heavy in his voice.

"Don't know," he said, "Didn't discuss it."

For once he was grateful Regina made them all drink a memory potion to insure nobody knew hers or Emma's locations. It was an advantage only the queen could think of. It was also the only thing keeping Storybrooke safe.

"I think I can help with that little problem."

The prince glared daggers at the wicked witch before them. He felt weightless when Rothbart released him, barely staggering to stand on his own feet. Zelena looked mildly pleased at his distress. She then waved her left hand and Charming felt his knees go week. His feet were out from under him within seconds. He looked up on them with dread filling his every fiber.

"You should have thought twice before stealing something from me," she said.

"Where?" Rothbart sounded desperate as he asked.

"Where they always go," Zelena replied, "Granny's."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"They should have called by now."

Regina was pacing. She was also being annoying. She was well aware she was being annoying. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to associate Emma's disgruntled huffs and Grumpy's rolling eyes as anything else. Even Granny looked mildly miffed, releasing gentle sighs that were grating on the queen's last nerve.

But the others were in trouble. She could feel the soft dread in her bones. A tiny pit of despair filled every chamber of her heart and stomach. Her fiery magic continued to flare down her arms without warning. More than once the blonde savior had to put out small fires that lit up tables every time she turned around.

"Something's wrong," Regina said and she knew it must have been leaning towards the thousandth time.

"Nothing's wrong," Emma replied.

She was disgustingly predictable.

"They will call when they can."

The queen turned an impressive glare to the overwhelmingly loud dwarf. He didn't even looked fazed. He barely raised a scowl her way. His calm coal eyes twinkled with too much understanding. He even dared to push his hand forward as if to stop her pacing round.

Regina easily avoided the comfort by walking back towards the bathroom, in a large circle near the empty booths.

"Dammit your majesty if you don't sit down now I'm getting my crossbow and making you."

Regina sat obediently. The old woman standing behind the counter even looked surprised. Her once harsh features turned to those of pure concern. It was slowly going from bad to worse if the old wolf took pity on her.

"Let me fix you a glass of tea," she said, "It will help with the nerves."

"I'm not nervous," the queen replied.

Granny easily ignored her. She tapped Grumpy on the shoulder and motioned her head towards the back. Together they disappeared, thick as thieves. Regina winced at her own evil thoughts.

She felt a small break in the air around her. A calm, soothing bundle of happiness began to seep into her achingly tense muscles. A soft whoosh sounded from the booth cushion opposite her. Blonde hair filtered into the corners of her vision.

"I know what you are going to say," Regina said, "Please don't."

"Hey I'm not my mother, remember?"

Emma was definitely trying for humor but she fell flat. The queen tried to feel grateful for that. All her stomach could manage was a growing hole of fear, enveloping her belly and twisting an invisible knife deeper and deeper.

She was going to throw up.

A soft hand encased hers immediately. The sick feeling abated. Chocolate eyes turned captive by a field of green. A gentle smile and firm squeeze invaded the queen's senses. This time Emma's magic worked twice as hard to relieve some of her tension. For a moment, she almost let it.

"Everything's going to be fine," the savior said.

Regina rolled her eyes. Of course she would quote her mother despite herself. It was in the Charming Family DNA to be irritatingly optimistic even when they shouldn't be. Still, the queen felt her heart glow with love at the offer.

"You said you wouldn't say it," she said.

Emma smiled and winked.

"I said I wasn't my mother," she said, "I didn't say anything about being similar. According to Dad I get my stubbornness from her too. Personally I think we both got it from you but you know… there's only so much of it that could have come from DNA and have you met our son?"

A hiccup escaped through the queen's lips. It was the closest she could give to a laugh. The fear continued to grow and brood in her belly. She could barely breathe from the feeling tearing through her.

"They would leave if they felt uncomfortable with the plan… right?"

For the first time in forever the savior looked like a lost little girl. The strength she was before promoting was gone. Her green eyes reflected the same foreboding feeling as Regina. The light above their heads began to flicker from their combined fright.

"Alright that's enough out of you two," Granny's wonderful voice filled the air, "I am not replacing anything else in this diner until after the final showdown. There will be no breaking the furniture until then, understand?"

Despite her harsh tone the old woman still held a smile to her face. She was gentle when she placed two steaming cups of tea before the sorceress'. She even gave both a squeeze on their shoulders to provide comfort. Then her whole demeanor changed.

"Leroy," she said, "Get my crossbow and lock up the back while you're there."

She quickly ran to the front door. She latched its lock into place and drew every blind until the shop looked every bit as closed as it was. The dwarf known as Grumpy came trudging through the back. Granny's crossbow was not the only weapon in his hands. His axe, name inscribed perfectly for all to see, stood proud and ready on his shoulder.

The queen and savior stood as one. Together they shared a look. Then they moved towards the counter, wary of the impending battle on the horizon.

The lights began to flicker above. Granny growled, her crossbow aimed towards the ceiling expectantly. Grumpy took her lead. He brandishes his axe towards the sky. His beady eyes were looking for danger and ready for the moment of attack.

Regina felt the flames of her magic manifest themselves into action. Fireballs formed into her palms. Her chocolate gaze looked everywhere for the source of the flickering lights. She could feel Emma's warm spring breeze of a magic licking at her left side.

Then the lights went out.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

David couldn't help but count Killian's many steps. The deputy seemed to roll with tension. His constant pacing between the interrogation rooms and the jail cell were monotonous. His dirty boots even clicked on the concrete in some somber pattern of discomfort.

"What do we do now?" Killian asked.

He was looking straight at David when he spoke but they both knew who he was talking to. A quick turn around and the sheriff watched his daughter traipse hurriedly down the hall. She was disheveled. Her features were morphed into a permanent frown. David could practically see the tiny wheels in her mind working overtime to make sense of everything.

"She's right," she said, "We don't have enough information to hold her let alone charge her."

"Can't we charge her with obstruction?" David asked.

"Not really," Emma said, "That's not exactly a real charge and I have a feeling she knows it. Besides you have to have a warrant to even question her and I doubt D.A. Spencer would so much as look for a judge to handle this."

"No," David said, "He's still bitter about your mother and I overthrowing him."

"So we just give up?" Killian asked, "That doesn't sound like us at all."

"We're not giving up," Emma said, "We just need something to hold over her. I thought maybe her boy toy would be enough but she's apparently head over heels for this guy. I can't get good enough leverage over her."

"Maybe if we charge him for theft?" David said, "We have enough evidence. Surely we can make her think twice about cluing us in. Technically this theft is illegal on a national level."

"How so?"

David turned to see confusion written plainly on the deputy's face. Killian Jones was many things but familiar with the Storybrooke legal system he was not. Sometimes David forgot he wasn't part of the first curse and thus unequipped for the modern world. So he shrugged his shoulders and tried to think of the best reply.

"He stole dark magic that can blow up everyone endangering countless lives," he said, "It's basically a terrorist action which makes it close to treason in our world."

Killian's features morphed with understanding.

"I see," he said, "By endangering the people he thus endangers the king and can be hanged."

Well that wasn't quite it but he got the concept. David was actually pleased. As much as he pretended to hate the man, Killian Jones loved his daughter. Any father could be proud of that coupling with the deputy's wits. He was also very useful from his days as a pirate wanted throughout the seven seas… and many realms.

"Except we can't really charge him for terrorism," Emma said, "As much as I want it to, magic wasn't exactly on the mind when the Patriot Act was made. Plus we would then have to charge Gold for possessing it and since he's no longer the Dark One we can't say he was holding onto them for a rainy day."

It wasn't what they wanted to hear. But that didn't exactly mean they couldn't bend the rules. It wouldn't be the first time they got their hands dirty to catch their bad guy. They were a family of heroes and villains in the modern world.

"But does she know that?" David asked.

Emma gave him a dirty look.

"I have a feeling she does," she said, "and even if she didn't we have to have more evidence to prove she's involved which we don't. But we can charge him and hope that maybe she will come forward with an answer as to why."

Her face fell into a frown again. She looked torn. David stepped forward, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. He rubbed up and down the way he did her mother every night she woke up in fear. His daughter relaxed in his hold immediately.

"But there's something else?" He asked.

She nodded.

"She's been demanding to know why she was there the whole time," she said, "But not once has she asked a thing about magic. And there's something about their story that bothers me. Why would they choose to go camping in the woods and not explore the town? They've been here for a week and nobody knew. Don't you find that odd?"

Of course they did. They were used to weird things but tourists acting like locals was weird even by their standards. Perhaps they needed some help.

"I'll have the dwarves look into it," David said, "See if they can dig something up. The Merry Men too. I'm sure they could use a distraction from Roland and Robin."

"Anyone else missing?" Emma asked.

"Sidney and a few villagers from George's kingdom," David shrugged, "But no other adults."

"Killian," Emma began.

"I know Swan," he said, "I'll stay here and baby-sit the thief while you and your father hit the trails. I know my place."

"Actually," she said, "I need you to call Gold."

"Why the bloody hell do we need the Crocodile?" He asked.

"To officially charge our thief," Emma said, "And we're going to do it right in front of the girl. Then we'll get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all."

And with that she headed straight for her office and began the paperwork.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Had it not just been the middle of the day Regina would have thought it was night. Even the windows, moments ago filled with daylight despite the blinds, were now covered in completely darkness. The queen threw the fireballs in her hands and more to light the way. She watched as every single table in the place lit up as if in the desert and starved for water.

"What the hell?" She cursed.

Emma was likewise just as stunned. Grumpy and Granny made similar cries though it seemed for a different reason entirely. Black mounds were bubbling up from every which way. The wolf and dwarf were surrounded by it. The queen and savior couldn't escape it.

They blotted out the windows easily, these mounds so foreign to them. They swirled and twirled through the air slowly solidifying until legs and torsos formed. Soon these blacks mounds took on the shape of men, covered head to toe in black armor with rearing lions on their chests.

"You take the left," Emma said, "I'll take the right."

Regina moved in sync with her. They were one as they threw their magic at the black soldiers. Each spurt dispersed a new mass until there was nothing left but dirt and dust. Several arrows swished past the queen's head, lodging into the necks of people who dared to raise a weapon towards her. Emma was just as easily assisted by the axe-wielding dwarf. They seemed completely at home in this tiny battle of magic, brains and brawn.

The last soldier disintegrated into a million pieces. White magic absorbed every inch of the fickle creature until Emma Swan remained standing. Regina lowered her armed fingertips to stare at the savior in disbelief. They looked around at the overturned tables and chairs, the booths now blazing with flames. Even the counter and stools were covered in debris of varying shapes and sizes.

"Odd," Regina said.

"My thoughts exactly," the savior replied.

It didn't make sense. The soldiers were sent their way for a reason. It was almost too easy how quick they were to disband. An uneasy feeling of apprehension weaseled its way into the queen's heart. She stepped forward, ready to burst out of Granny's Diner and run to the forest if she had to.

Of course, that was the moment the shoe dropped.

"Oh dear," her sister's voice filtered through the air, "What a terrible mess. However will you manage to clean it all up?"

Regina felt the sneer curl her lips. Violence flared from her fingertips. A deep seated hatred turned her stomach just so. Her spine tingled with the vast array of emotions as she turned to stare at the thing she hated most of all;

"Zelena."

The witch smiled at the recognition. She even stepped further into the diner to have a look around. Her pale green eyes looked pleased as punch. There was even a wicked glint to her eye. Regina had never wanted to punch someone so much in her life.

"Hello sister dear," she said, "Long time no try to kill you. How are things? You look a bit worse for wear. Are you getting enough sleep? I'm sure my daughter must be keeping you up at all hours of the night. I can't say I'm not a bit proud. She's a little spitfire that one."

The queen had to bite down her tongue hard to keep from retaliating. Thoughts of her children flew unbidden to the forefront of her mind. Poor Roland refused to leave any room without at least one of his parents by his side. Even Henry was suffering from nightmares of Emma showing up one second too late, Robin's heart falling to dust in order to stop him from killing her, both parents dying with Zelena's cackles waking him up.

"Oh you look upset," Zelena said, "Do you need a moment? Take it. I have what I want."

Regina's face contorted into one of absolute confusion. Her sister was quick to address the question without words. She just raised a black bag high in the air. The queen felt her stomach jolt in fear.

"The crown of immortality," the witch laughed, "It is said that it can drive the unworthy to madness. I do hope that is the case for you."

The queen lifted her hands, urging her pulsing fire forward with every venomous thought she had. But no flames escaped her grasp. All of her energy and magic seemed trapped inside of her unable to come out. She looked down to her wrists and gasped in horror.

Twin silver chains were strapped there, entrapping her magic inside.

"No," she screamed.

Her sister laughed maniacally. Then she flicked her wrist and black mounds bubbled up from the floor once more. Granny and Grumpy were not only surrounded, they were disarmed and bloodied. Emma fought hard against five. The savior struggled to set herself free while holding on to cuffs of her own. Her chain dangled through a shadowy blob before her hands were effectively captured.

"Oh dear," Zelena said, "It seems neither one of you have your magic anymore. How sad…"

She chuckled at her own intended joke. She even dared to touch Regina's handcuffs as if they were priceless jewelry. The queen snapped her teeth at her, a caged animal left with nothing more than the bare minimum for defense. Her sister snatched her hand away in surprise and horror.

Then a crazy gleam began in her pale green eyes. She grabbed onto the black bag and started pushing its object out. The black thorns poked and prodded at the surface. Regina could feel its magic circling through the air, calling out to its next victim.

"Rothbart seems under the impression you'll see his way with this on your head," her sister explained, "Personally it drives you mad."

The queen stepped back, fighting to get away from her sister's devilish plan with all of her might. But two surprisingly strong arms engulfed her. She felt her body freeze in place. It was pushed forward against her will, two strong shadows leading her to doom. A giant pain flared through her right knee.

She was knelt before her sister, forced to bow to some commoner who didn't deserve such a privilege even from the Evil Queen. Regina struggled against the tight hold even as her sister slowly lowered the crown down. A giant tug forced her head back. Her chocolate eyes teared as Zelena placed the blasted crown on her raven head.

Fire. Every inch of Regina's skin immediately felt as though it caught fire. She was well aware of the tears falling down her cheeks and the pain was too unbearable to stop it. The queen couldn't even scream as the crown's magic took its toll. Her chocolate gaze couldn't even see the look of triumph decorating the Wicked Witch's features.

All she could see was fire.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Gold didn't even look surprised that they called him in. The smug bastard waltzed right in with a pleased smile on his face. His cane clacked on the floor with softness. His black suit squeezed tight against his less than bulky frame. He limped forward as if he owned the place.

"And how is the thief enjoying his new quarters?" He said.

His dark eyes turned to take in the pair talking quietly in the corner of the jailhouse. That wonderful look of surprise finally took hold. He stepped back for a moment, visibly absorbing the presence of the two new visitors to Storybrooke.

"Who is the girl?" He asked.

David chuckled softly. The man couldn't even hide his interest. He had to wonder if it had been the Dark One that made the slippery man so subtle.

"No idea," Emma said, "and judging from our conversation her relationship with the perp is just as confusing."

"If she's an accomplice why is she not being charged as well?" Gold asked.

David rolled his eyes. Five seconds into their conversation and he went from being a perfectly normal human being to a real piece of work within seven seconds flat. His voice was already dripping with a potential deal. He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed.

"Lack of evidence suggests the thief did it alone," David said.

"Any idea why?" Gold asked.

This time Emma rolled her eyes, followed immediately by a very loud huff. She threw her hands up in the air and began walking to her office. She grabbed onto the deputy's hand and dragged him along as well. Together they worked on filling out their portion of the paperwork. Emma even signed the paper before her usual review.

David watched the older man limp further into the room. Together they observed the young pair, deep in conversation. Both were leaning into the bars whispering away about their plans. The girl had both hands firmly planted on the bars between them. The thief's brown eyes sparkled with quiet admiration. The tiny corners of his mouth tilted upwards and his dimples fought to appear. But they kept their scheme up for their hands never once shot out to hold the other's.

"As you and I both know," the sheriff said, "Most of the things in your shop do not belong to you."

"And how many magic users do you know in need of potions more lethal than a nuclear bomb?" Gold asked back.

"Alright," Emma said, "Let's get this over with."

The couple stopped talking the moment the blonde spoke. They turned in her direction as one, the girl stepping forward with a determined glint in her bright blue eyes. That all changed, the moment those bright blue eyes found Gold.

To say surprise filled them was an understatement. For a moment the raven-haired girl looked almost sick to her stomach as she stared at the pawnbroker. Her features turned into an intense frown of disgust. Her blue eyes narrowed into violent slits and she swished her raven ponytail to look at the thief behind bars.

"Him," she said, "You stole from him?"

David turned to question whether or not Gold was familiar with the pair. Instead he found himself facing a bigger anomaly than before. The pawnbroker looked terrified. His skin was ashen at best. His dark eyes were wide with horror. His right hand, the hand clasped tightly upon his cane, shook violently at his side. His grim-faced mouth now hung open in a silent scream.

So shocked by the appearance was he that David almost missed the movement of Gold's lips. He ducked his head closer only to realize actual words were spoken. So much horror and fear could be heard in the pawnbroker's too small voice.

"It can't be," he said, "She's impossible."

The two sheriffs moved as one. Each stepped forward to create a safe barrier between the strange girl and the man of whom she instilled fear. But the infamous Mr. Gold seemed to have other plans. His features morphed into their usual calculating façade. He stepped between them as if magic still sizzled at his fingertips.

"Who are you?" He asked.

The girl looked unimpressed. Her arms crossed over her chest. A stubborn snarl enveloped her plump lips. Her raven ponytail swished back and forth, a perfect display of her youth.

"If you're pressing charges tell me now," she replied, "I have to call a lawyer."

"Oh," Gold said, "That won't be necessary, dearie."

The girl's features morphed immediately. Her sly indifference turned away to pure fear. It was only for a moment before David found the girl's features changing once again. Only her bright blue eyes seemed to display the worry still hidden away behind a wall of indifference.

"And why is that?" Emma asked.

"Because I want to make a deal," Gold said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Zelena wanted to relish each and every scream. The moment she put the crown on her dear little sister's head it was with the expectation of excruciating pain. She was not, however, expecting this… mess.

The crown did indeed have some effect. Regina was immediately engulfed in its magic. Every inch of her disappeared behind a world of blue flames. The shadows even dissolved away from the contact, unable to cling to the queen's disastrous inferno.

But no screams came.

 _What's going on?_ Zelena wondered.

Regina should have been dead at the very least. The crown's magic didn't rely too heavily on anything but the blood, heart and soul of the wearer. Surely its results would have found the queen unworthy by now.

 _Unless she is not unworthy._

Zelena shuttered at the thought.

"No!" The savior screamed, "What did you do?"

The blonde was thrashing against her captors, utterly useless in getting herself free once again. Zelena had to roll her eyes. Honestly it made no sense how so many foes could have fallen to such a silly little thing. She could barely even use her power and she was relying on brute force to get out of a magical situation. She clearly had her parents' brains floating around in that head, nothing but rocks.

"Stop it," Emma Swan begged, "You're killing her."

Except she wasn't. The fire show had already begun to fade. The shadows couldn't grow and the sun peeked out between the blinds once more. Even the diner's fluorescent lights threatened to come back to life. The entire restaurant took on a bright new glow.

The blue flames disappeared without a warning. They pulled back to reveal raven hair flowing gently in a non-existent breeze. Where once a pair of black pants and a grey shirt were, now only blue remained. Platinum decorated the cuffs and waist of this odd new concoction on her sister's frame. A blue dress modeled after only the most expensive of Enchanted Forest designs took hold.

Chocolate eyes were clouded over with pain. That was the only conciliation prize. The crown of immortality was no longer made of thorns. It lay on her head, platinum and shaped like feathers of some exotic peafowl. Her face was decorated in a light make-up, silver shadowing her eyes while her lips were painted a rather attractive maroon.

Zelena's scowl deepened.

 _Of course, even the crown chose her._

Disgusting dangling tears poured down her olive cheeks. The queen seemed unaware of the flames' recession. Her chocolate gaze continued to stare blankly into the abyss.

Then the savior spoke and broke her from her haze.

"Regina, what happened? Are you alright? Say something!"

The queen gasped into existence in an instant. Her chocolate eyes filled with hatred and disgust. She rose from the floor with a snarl curling her lips. At the peak of her height she pulled her right arm back, and threw it forward.

Zelena had no time to avoid the attack. Her jaw blew wide with the pain of contact. She tasted the copper of blood on her tongue. Both of her hands went up to feel the offended area. It was only with a quick hand she was able to stop her sister's second blow, freezing her in place with her wicked magic.

Regina opened her mouth to speak. The witch was quick to sneer herself and prevent such a disgrace from happening. She pulled her fingers into a tight grasp until she felt her sister's throat constricting. The magical chokehold brought more putrid tears to her sister's eyes. Her face even grew red from the gasping lack of oxygen.

"You're going to wish you were mad when he's through with you," she said.

Zelena let her magic go and watched with glee as the queen fell backwards. Two giant mounds formed into big strong men. Their black armor gleamed as darkness surrounded everything. They wrapped their dark arms around Regina, leeching onto her body like savages. The queen struggled as she was drowned in the darkness.

"No," Emma Swan screamed.

The savior struggled and thrashed against her guards. She swung her chains over one of their heads, slicing it clean off. She dispatched her other captor in a similar manner but it was to no avail. The black mounds kept coming, growing more soldiers of shadow to keep her in place. The dwarf and the wolf refused to give up as well.

They worked together to fight against their captors, ignorant of the blessing Zelena was bestowing upon them. Tiny tendrils of darkness were still wrapping their meaty hands around the queen. Regina could struggle all she wanted but the shadows had her. She was swallowed down into the black abyss.

"No, Regina!" The savior cried.

Zelena giggled at their looks of despair. She savored the trading of blows as Rothbart's shadows continued to grow. The witch waited until every nook and cranny of Granny's Diner was filled with the darkness. Then, with a wonderful wave of her hand, she surrounded herself in green smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

This time tension filled the room like never before. The thief's brown eyes grew wide. He backed away from his cell door like a chastened child. His big hands joined as one, thumbs rubbing nervously against each other. The girl's bright blue eyes turned towards her captured partner. The indifference was gone enveloped by anger.

"The Dark One," she said, "You stole from the Dark One?"

The thief had the nerve to smile. His dimpled cheeks displayed themselves proudly with bright beaming white teeth at the forefront. His shoulders casually shrugged up and down. Then his brown eyes took on a playful air. His brown curls flopped as he turned towards Emma.

"I've committed no such crime," he said.

The girl was silently seething. David recognized that look from his many associations with the women in his life. Both Regina and Emma wore that look whenever Henry took on more than he could handle. Even Snow had that tiny crinkling at the top of her nose when she didn't quite get her way. The sheriff knew exactly what kind of rage was simmering underneath that porcelain surface.

"What do you want?" The girl asked.

She crossed her arms in stubborn submission. Her booted right foot began tapping away at the station's tiled floor. Her feet stood shoulder width apart. Her stance was prepared for battle and her left eyebrow arched just so to acknowledge as much.

David watched Gold smile cheekily grow. The pawnbroker stepped forward, his slow limp not once ruining his imposing nature. His dark eyes bore into the girl's own bright blue. His smiling face turned into thin-lined lips. He stood nearly nose to nose with the raven-haired girl.

"It's a rather simple transaction," Gold said, "I will not press charges against your boyfriend-"

"He is not my boyfriend."

"And in exchange for my hospitable nature, you will answer this one simple question."

The girl looked thoroughly miffed at such an offer. She began to chew away at her lower lip, eating away at the anger surrounding her. Her right foot ceased its tapping. She turned one weary eye her companion's way before rolling her eyes in defeat.

"What's the question?"

This time Gold's smile was that of a shark gazing upon its prey. He limped away on his cane, commanding the presence of all in the station. He pulled out a perfectly normal metal chair and chuckled at the harsh grinding sound it made upon the floor. It was a flourishing twirl so the back was now to his front that made his last words count. He sat down and muttered them with villainous malice.

"What… is your name?"

The thief's haughty grin wiped away immediately. He bounced into the bars with surprising hostility. His hands slapped his iron cage with a loud grunt falling from his lungs. But the girl before him remained impassive, cool as a cucumber.

"What?" She asked.

"What is your name?" He said, "Tell me that and your… thief will go free."

The girl's lips parted. Her bright blue eyes filled with amazing light and she opened to speak exactly what the man asked. Gold seemed aware of her plans though for he raised his hands and brought her back to silence.

"Your real name, dearie."

"What are you asking her?" The thief asked, his voice like a heinous growl on their ears.

Gold didn't even flinch. David found his eyes glancing between the three of them in equal parts disgust and fascinated interest. He could almost imagine two sharks circling a seal in the water, each testing the other's resolve in capturing such enticing prey.

"I think you already know that," Gold said, "So I will only ask once more or the deal is off the table. Tell me your name!"

The girl flinched at his sharp tongue. She slid back to the safety of the thief's bars and the arms he had outstretched towards her. Both of his hands fell gentle on her shoulders. His right thumb rubbed away at the tension it sensed there.

"No."

The voice that echoed through the station belonged to that of the very thief whose freedom lay at stake. He shook his curly brown mop violently. His giant hands tightened on the girl's shoulder forcing her to turn and face him.

"No," he said again, "We can't."

"You didn't exactly leave us much choice," she replied.

The two shared twin glares of stubbornness. Both were immune to their unfortunate audience. David turned towards his daughter, concern and confusion covering his features. Emma too looked equally dismayed by this strange turn of events. She looked down to the paper on her desk contemplation filtering through her features.

"We can't risk it," the thief said.

"If they charge you," she said, "They'll send you to prison. You can't leave Storybrooke, Ryder!"

"Names have power!" Ryder replied, "And giving the Dark One your name is far too much power."

Curiosity reared its ugly head in the back of David's mind. He felt himself step forward as if to listen closer to the conversation. His right hand flexed out of its need to provide comfort for such woe. He looked towards Gold in hopes of understanding his plan.

"You know," Gold said, "We could have been wonderful friends if you had just asked. But you young people are always so… impatient. There used to be a time where children had respect for their elders. Has it really come down to this?"

"It seems it has," Ryder said, "We're not buying what you're selling. Press your charges and leave!"

"Such hostility," Gold said.

"Oh yeah," Ryder said.

The pawnbroker looked mildly impressed for a moment. He casually shrugged his shoulders and rose to his feet. The chair was twirled back into its perfect position underneath the desk. The pawnbroker pulled out his pen and made slow work of pulling the official paper closer.

"It's a real shame," Gold said, "We could have been real friends all of us… Enjoy prison."

Gold placed the point of his pen on the paper.

"Wait!" The girl cried.

"No!" The thief said.

He grabbed onto the girl's green leather jacket, tugging with all his might. An angry glare left bright blue eyes and stilled his grabbing hands. She shrugged him off with the arrogance of royalty. She stepped forward chin held high and steps perfectly calculated.

"Yes?" Gold asked.

"Don't let these bars fool you," the girl said, "You're the one who's locked away in a cage."

She said no other words to the pawnbroker and made no move to defy her companion. Her lips squeezed shut and refused to budge even after Mr. Gold scrawled out his impressive name. He picked up the paper and waved it for all to see. Then he proceeded to walk towards the door and the sheriff's mailbox with purpose.

Apparently he was going to make David officially file the paperwork. His cane clicked harsh on the tiled floor. His limp gave it a more crisp staccato voice in the air. But his movements never wavered and the sheriff found himself appalled by the manipulations of the man once again. Even without his magic, Rumpelstiltskin still knew how to control the room.

"Odette."

All eyes turned on the girl standing before the bars. Her face cringed at the sound of her own voice. Her complexion went a few shades lighter and she looked on the verge of passing out. But she stayed strong as she stepped forward with purpose. Her chin rose high again. Pride took over her features.

"My name," she said, "is Odette… Princess Odette."

The thief known as Ryder Wood bowed his head in defeat. He slammed his hands against his iron bars, his foot following shortly after. A small string of curses registered in David's ears, but he waited. He followed Odette's blue eyed gaze to the very paper's in the pawnbroker's hands.

Gold's face paled again. His dark eyes grew wide in fear. His stance never wavered though as he walked back towards their captured guests. He tore the charging paper into several tiny pieces, throwing them in a type of confetti around the small crowd.

"It seems we are now at an impasse," he said.

"Agreed," she said.

The pawnbroker then surprised them all. He maneuvered his cane and took a quick bend at the waist. It was an impressive bow for one so unused to royal customs even David found himself impressed.

"Your highness," Gold said.

With a simple nod to Emma the jail cell was unlocked. The thief leapt from his iron prison and immediately pulled the girl into his arms. Where once two strangers were chatting away now stood the thief Ryder Wood and the Princess Odette. David felt a vague tingle spark up his spine at the loving way Ryder held onto Odette's shoulders.

Before any further action could be obtained, a lonesome golden chain flickered to life right before their eyes. The purple stone attached to its platinum pendant swished back and forth in the light. Gold's hand shot out to capture it, his dark eyes filled with awe. David watched as a single eyebrow rose on the pawnbroker's face.

"Such a sentimental little trinket," he said, "Wherever did you get it?"

"It's my mother's," the thief said, "And you will do well to stay away from it and me."

The sheriff stepped forward. David could feel the strange tension filling the space around them yet again. His eyes shot to Gold uncertain of what to make of that strange smile crinkling the older man's features.

"We shall see," Gold said.

He left the room without another word said, the thief and the girl close behind him.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked.

David shrugged.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Charming was the first to slam through the door. He had no choice in the matter. He was thrust forth with a broad shoulder in his back. The outlaw paid him no mind as he continued on his way. Robin of Loxley disappeared into the back, the sinister sounds of footsteps on stairs racing upwards loud.

The diner was a mess. Not a chair or stool remained standing. Some were in harsh splinters upon the floor. Others decorated the walls at odd angles appearing to having been thrown at various stages of battle. The tables too were scoured and scored. Claw marks and chunks enveloped them all. There were even a few dents that could only be caused by a blunt sword or two.

Granny's crossbow littered the floor in tatters. The old woman herself was barely standing, leaning heavily against the diner wall. Giant claw marks marred her face. The skin around her left eye was puckered and red from the strange markings. Green ooze dripped down her chin and onto the floor, an unfortunate side effect. Two withered, wrinkled hands held tight to a single broken arrow covered in sticky black residue.

Grumpy was in similar disrepair. The dwarf sat upon the counter bruises of varying shapes and sizes. Some were small and held a purple hue while others stood large across his skin with a vile green color.

Yet Emma Swan looked the worst o all. She shook in her mother's arms, uaking with horrendous sobs. Her green eyes were swollen red in her despair. Black sticky residue mocking blood matted her blonde locks. Half o her shirt was torn displaying pink skin and a white laced bra. Her left knee was bent at an odd angle, pointing in the direction opposite her foot. Her thin wrists were encased in iron cuffs, blood dripping where skin lay broken.

"I couldn't stop her," she moaned, "She… They… Th-they took her…"

Everything else fell away with more sobs wracking her entire body. It was then her leg gave way. The savior tumbled to the ground too far gone to notice or care. Charming barely had enough time to notice the shift.

He surged forward fatherly instinct taking complete control. He was far too late to catch his little girl. But he was by the pirate's side the moment Captain Hook lowered Emma to the ground.

"Get Gold," Hook said.

It was Snow White who made the call, pleading with the man to heed their demands. He appeared in an instant, as if by a simple blink of the eye.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He took her. Those bastards took Regina!"

Robin had once again reappeared. He stood in the doorway between diner and inn, his hands cradling a simple black lump. Charming had to squint before making out the strap of the sinful mound. His stomach dropped when he realized what that satchel once held.

"The crown," he said.

A surprising gasp filled the little diner. All heads turned to once again observe Rumpelstiltskin his mouth still agape skin growing paler with each passing breath. His eyes then flooded with gold and his head whipped towards Emma hastily.

"Tell me she tried on the crown," he said, "Tell me she was the one who touched it!"

Emma looked confused. Her light eyebrows folded down into a deep V-shape. Her features gazed on until understanding finally dawned. It was with heavy sadness when her mouth opened.

"No," she said, "Zelena didn't-"

"Not her!" The imp sounded almost panicked, "Regina! Tell me her idiotic sister made her try it on!"

The savior blinked owlishly. Slowly her head inclined forward, a hesitant nod. Rumpelstiltskin smiled and Emma's knee was healed.

"No," Robin cried, "No they couldn't… She wouldn't… She's her sister!"

"She nearly had you kill her, mate," Hook said, "I doubt she would think twice about risking the queen's life."

"But the crown…" Robin said, "You don't understand… That crown is evil! It will… it will do-"

"Nothing," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "The crown will do absolutely nothing… At least not to her."

The silence that followed thickened with tension. Charming couldn't tear his eyes away from Rumpelstiltskin no matter how hard he tried. Emma and Snow's green gazes bore angrily into the wretched man. Hook cradled the savior close to his chest, spouting off a confusing mixture of pain and fear. Grumpy and Granny remained in their own little worlds, occasionally sporting glazed eyes the Dark One's way.

But it was Robin Hood who sliced the silence like a dull serrated knife. His panic snapped through the air. His heaving breath penetrated each and every soul. His magic crackled on his fingertips, lightning dissolving the black satchel to ash.

The outlaw fell to his knees, horrified sobs wracking his body. For the first time he looked weak, his magic out of control. Even Granny's Diner seemed captivated by him. Its lights flickered to his magic, doors opening and slamming, blinds snapping open and closed, chairs on the mend only to shatter further on each passing whim.

"No!"

He sobbed out right.

"No!"

The vial word fell away from his lips.

"No," he moaned in deepest agony.

Everything came to a sudden stop. Air flew from the heroes' lungs. Energy poured forth from the diner into the outlaw on the floor.

Robin Hood stood up. His eyes were blacker than the deepest darkness. His sparking hands turned into fists of blue fire. His posture straightened into a king's firm spine. His mouth morphed into an ugly snarl. His next word did not come from the mouth of the prince of thieves.

"No," Robin the fabled knight of Loxley said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Sidney Glass stood outside the sheriff's station with a gleeful smile on his features. His binoculars made his hiding spot absolutely perfect. None would dare look up at him from the great hardened willow tree. He was free to spy and report exactly as expected.

"Yes your majesty," he said, "They're leaving the station now. No… they're letting the prisoners go free. I don't know why I'm simply reporting what I see."

He listened patiently to the orders coming from the other end of the line. If she dared to use her magic Regina Mills would have seen him roll his eyes. She would have also noticed the less than pleased expression on his face. Well, she would have at least noticed he wasn't as enthused at the prospect of being her henchman once again.

But the mayor never cared too much about his feelings anyway so what was the harm in risking her wrath?

"Yes your majesty," Sidney said, "I'm going to bug it as soon as Sheriff Swan heads out. Yes, she and her deputy are piling into her yellow truck even as we speak. Killian Jones… Yes, Captain Hook is now working for Storybrooke's law enforcement where have you been the last two years? Right… sorry, I forgot. Forgive me, your majesty."

Sidney rolled his eyes again, uncaring if he were to be smote right on the spot.

"Yes your majesty," he said, "I understand. Everything is going according to plan. They don't for a moment suspect we're working together. Yes, I will keep you informed as soon as I find any information on your son, Henry. Yes, of course I know you only have one son. I was merely being poetic in my expression. Yes… hello? Your majesty? Regina?"

Sidney hung up the phone with a few choice words. If it were up to him, he would not be back to spying on the sheriff or her family. It was bad enough people were questioning whether or not he was dead. He couldn't stand the rumors running about of killing himself over his unrequited love for the Evil Queen. No, he was a far better man than any gave him credit for.

He picked up his phone and dialed the memorized phone number. He listened to the dial tone as it connected with the other end of the line. He waited until only air began to sound.

"Odette is in Storybrooke," he said.

"Good. I've been hoping to speak with the princess for quite some time. I'm glad she's finally found her way home."

"She's not the only one," Sidney dutifully reported, "She came in with a Ryder Wood. He's the thief who stole those potions from Gold's shop."

"Yes," his employer said, "I thought as much. That pesky thief is unimportant now that the princess has arrived. Do keep a steady gaze on him though. He could be vital to my plans later."

"Yes sir," Sidney agreed easily, "And in regards to Annie Hart? What would you like me to do with her?"

"Nothing," his employer said, "She'll come to me in due course."

"Forgive me for asking but how can you be so sure?"

Sidney nearly gasped as he felt a giant pain flare through his fingertips. He felt his whole body freeze as fire blazed down his chest. His heart constricted ever so tight. Breath became a luxury he almost didn't have anymore.

"It is not your place to ask questions, slave."

Sidney merely sighed his assent. Oxygen was no longer his to waste. He waited until the pain subsided and his heart began to beat normal again. He ignored the tiny trickle of blood flowing from his nose. He was high where no one would see. He needed to keep his wits about him.

"A thousand apologies, my lord," he said.

"Now," his employer said, "Did you do what I asked?"

"I bugged Regina's office and her home. She even believes I'm working for her, helping in her search for her son. She has no idea what's really going on."

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

"Yes sir."

"Remember, Sidney. Regina Mills must never find out about our secret project. It must be strictly between you and me."

"What about Emma?" Sidney couldn't help but ask, "How can you be so certain she won't follow the trail. She already suspects foul play-"

A giant force began constricting his throat. Breath fled from his lungs never to return. He fought hard to keep his voice low and pleading just to keep himself alive. It worked for moments later he could breathe again.

"Emma Swan suspects nothing," his employer said, "And we will keep it that way."

"How is that?" Sidney asked.

"I believe, Mr. Glass that it is time for our friend to be cut off… Do you understand?"

"Yes Lord Rothbart… I believe I do."

Sidney heard the click of his phone, signaling the end of the call. He sighed in relief. His eyes closed and he took a moment to enjoy the feeling of life all around. His ears perked up to the rustle of the wind through the trees. He could hear the distant chirping of birds over the sea. If he concentrated just right he could even hear his heart beating it Lord Rothbart's wretched hands.

 _Soon,_ he thought with a childish glee, _soon we'll both be free my queen._

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Zelena was pleased as punch. Not only did she finally capture her sister. She also found revenge on the man who took away her daughter. The outlaw would be so distraught he'd practically hand the baby over.

She could already feel little Cora in her arms.

Not this way, a voice niggled to her conscience, she will be loved first.

The witch ignored that immediately. She proceeded to focus on her ally's plans and ignore that voice as much as possible. She also ignored the sudden urge to cry prickling on her corneas. Regina's wrists were open, bleeding profusely on her new room's floor. The man responsible kept staring at her with crazy eyes. He didn't seem to care that the queen was bleeding. He didn't even notice the defiant glow in her stubborn chocolate eyes.

Zelena had to hold her hands into tight fists to keep from healing those bloody wrists.

I'll forgive you, Regina's voice whispered in her mind.

"Now," the witch said, "Since I've proven myself worthy… what do you plan to do?"

She chose to ignore that little lick of fear crawling up her spine. Her sister was a queen. She didn't need help and she certainly didn't deserve it. Besides this was the perfect revenge, her sister's misery at losing yet another love and being forced to marry yet another king.

"Simple," Rothbart said and if he happened to notice Zelena's gloomy demeanor he didn't let it show.

"The crown has confirmed everything I have always believed. She is the rightful queen… my queen."

Zelena rolled her eeys. Once again her sister chosen for a roll she didn't even want. She didn't even have to work for it, typical. Life was so unfair.

"A prophecy decreed the crown would show me my soulmate," Rothbart explained, "And so it has."

"yay," Zelena whined, "Regina gets everything again while I'm stuck on the sidelines. I thought this relationship would be mutually beneficial."

"Patience," he said.

Zelena chose to ignore the rude, ungratefully angry tone.

"In order to prove myself to the rabble I must first destroy the influence of my enemy. He has them under the impression he is their one true king. We must dissuade them the notion."

"And how do we do that?"

Zelena was getting bored. Politicians were all the same, power and more power. They never had any class. She at least became wicked to prove herself worthy of defeating Regina and proving everybody wrong. Nobody seemed to notice that.

I did, a familiar sisterly voice shouted in her mind.

Rothbart smiled, a vicious impractical thing. He took on the gaze of one talking to a child. Zelena had to bite her tongue to keep it from escaping her precious lips. Red flames came to life in the palm of his hand. He watched them burn before calmly blowing it away. His black eyes turned to her in victory.

"How else do you deal with treason?"

"No!" Regina cried. She stood to attention stepping forward determined. She only stopped when a grimace fell upon her face. She looked down at the long chain attached to her right ankle. Anger appeared in tune with its rattling fervor.

Zelena smiled at her sister's obvious despair.

"On one condition," she said, "I get to kill Robin Hood."

She and Rothbart shared victorious smiles. They chuckled pleasantly and shook hands upon their deal, ignoring the cries of protest coming from the queen. Zelena didn't even care about the queen's defeated protests. She certainly didn't listen to them.

And try as she might, she couldn't ignore them.

* * *

 **In The Next Chapter:** Gold seeks to convince Emma not to trust Odette. Charming and Hook must put aside their feelings and work together with Rumpelstiltskin to find Regina. Meanwhile, Annie Hart and Rothman make a deal of their own.


	8. The Last Page

Storybrooke – Then

The soft earth remained calm and undeterred. The forest's grand trees remained silent. Not an inch of grass was upturned. Then the resounding noise of hooves thundered on the underbrush.

Prince Charming was the first to dismount, Hook only seconds after. The pirate didn't dare question the prince's methods. Together they followed the broken trail between the tree lines.

"They went this way," Charming sounded sure of it.

Hook nodded right along quick to follow. They found themselves approaching the ocean line. Hook could smell the sea breeze. He could feel the crisp wind on his face. Their trail came to a brisk end and they found themselves towering over a deep cliff.

"They're making bloody fools out of us," Hook hissed.

Charming gave a similar sound of disgust.

"I'm afraid they don't have to work hard," the prince said, "They were able to turn our plan into a kidnapping far too quickly."

"You think they knew about the attack?" The pirate asked.

"No," the prince shook his head, "Zelena was too surprised, but Rothbart-"

"Might have the power of foresight," Hook groaned. "That's bloody brilliant! Exactly what we need."

The prince nodded his head in commiseration. His hands went straight to his pockets. His unsheathed sword glinted mockingly towards them. Their beaten boots were covered in mud and patches of dirt. Their trousers couldn't help but be plastered in gunk. And now they were on a wild goose chase with no end in sight; no queen to be found and brought home.

"I hate to say it," Charming said.

Hook's chest immediately set to fire. His heart pounded out in protest. The tiny pinpricks of hatred festered in his stomach. His teeth ground against each other, his jaw jutted out in disgust.

"Then by all means," he said, "Please don't."

"We need Rumpelstiltskin."

The pirate closed his eyes on reflex, fighting the constant influx of emotions when dealing with that impudent man. A breathy huff of discomfort flew from his lips. The ocean breeze tasted less sweet now that the truth of the matter was in the open. He sighed in defeat.

"Aye," he agreed.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Robert Rothman was having a glorious day. He was able to buy himself his favorite coffee and had time to start an interesting retort with Granny. Ruby even offered him a doughnut business was so slow. So the smile on his face was bigger than any he had ever experienced before.

He shared a knowing nod with Killian Jones as he left. The deputy was clearly about to order his and the two sheriffs' usual and get it to go as always. Rothman couldn't help the bubble of fondness at his stomach at the infectious laughter leaving him behind.

He watched two gypsy children play hopscotch on the sidewalk just two doors down. They took notice of him and quickly waved happily. The young boy even darted over to give him a big hug, unaware of the scornful looks several parents gave them. Their children were still missing and these two sweet angels were happily playing out for all to see and hear.

A pang of annoyance hit when he noticed two dwarves eyeing the couple with suspicion. Apparently Sheriff Nolan put them on guard duty should any children be caught on the streets. It was a sad world indeed when people couldn't be trusted to protect the innocent.

Rothman considered buying the two dwarves, Mr. Clarke and whatever the dopey one's name was, a reward for their hard work. He had the money. He owned at least half of the town or more by now. It wouldn't be hard to call in a favor and get them their greatest wishes.

Two sharp clicks on the pavement gave him pause. His heart quickened its pace. He could feel his cheeks fill with some bizarre heat. He turned around with a charming smile on his face. The smile disappeared immediately.

"Hello dear," the redhead said, "Might I have a word or two?"

Rothman scowled at the woman before him. She was dressed to the nine's of that he was certain. Her green top wrapped around her curves in all the right places. A sharp black skirt wrapped around her hips in a way that made every inch of her appealing to the eye. Stocking decorated her perfect calves and fell away into a pair of sharp pointy toed shoes that made her seem imposing. Her freckled face was parted into a smile that refused to reach her eyes.

Yes, Rothman knew full well what this woman wanted to talk about.

"I'm sorry," he said, "We haven't been formally introduced. My name is Robert Rothman and I own this bank-"

"Yes I know who you are," the redhead said, "Just as you know Annie Hart is a work of fiction. Let's skip the pleasantries, dear and move on to the business at hand."

The woman pointed to the locked door and didn't even hide her magical hands. The door gave way and she pushed him inside. Her stubborn heels kept clicking on his beautiful marble floors. He couldn't help but make a mental note to order them clean before he left today.

He was going to have to leave early now too.

"Where is he?" Annie Hart asked.

Rothman rolled his eyes.

"Who?" He asked.

The redhead's blue eyes narrowed dangerously. She stepped forward with her hand glued to his tie. Rothman could feel her perfectly manicured nails ruining his silk and ripping it apart.

"You know who," she said, "Where is he? I have looked all over town. I know he's here. He's too valuable for you to kill him. Now, tell me where he is!"

The door clicked open before either could so much as move a muscle. A young man with short brown hair and shining blue eyes entered the bank. He paused, his chiseled chin working diligently in shock. He straightened his tailored silk suit and stepped forward as if to help. His blue eyes paused on Rothman in search of an answer.

"Mr. King," the banker said, "How nice of you to join us. This is Annie Hart. She was just asking me about letting her open a new account with us and because of her odd hours this was the only time she could manage."

Ryan King, Rothman's personal assistant and young protégé, seemed at odds with himself. His blue eyes once again shot to the curled fingers in his boss' tie. They flicked up as if to question but the words never came. The redhead removed her curled fingers and stepped forward, hand outstretched awkwardly between them.

"Hello," she said.

Rothman was pleased to note the sweet sound of defeat in her too small voice. His protégé took her proffered hand and shook it firmly. He bowed his head and gave her a sweet kiss on the knuckles. Then he stepped back and straightened his suit jacket once more.

"Ryan," he said, "please call me Ryan."

The young man nodded his head as if that ended all conversation. He waltzed up the grand black staircase and never once looked back. But the redhead's bright blue eyes never wavered from him, taking in his every muscle and step with growing trepidation.

Rothman couldn't help but smile.

"So sorry about that," he said, "I almost forgot my apprentice tends to come in exactly one minute after me every day. Who were you looking for, Ms. Hart?"

The redhead gave him a spiteful look in response. Her bright blue eyes turned green for a moment. She stepped forward as if to kill him with her words. But her red curls kept bouncing in the protégé's direction and her mournful looks reminded Rothman of what a good day it was.

"I want to make a deal," the redhead said.

Rothman laughed.

"Of course you do… but I'm not exactly certain where your loyalties lie. And until I am do not waste my time by coming here again."

The redhead's pout only increased. Her hands raced towards her hips and for a moment Rothman could see beyond the inherited traits to the mother she so desperately wanted to claim. Her blasted dimples couldn't hide that slight familiar spark of danger.

"You will hear from me again," Annie Hart said.

"And for your sake," Rothman said, "I hope it is with good news."

He watched her throw one last look towards Ryan King, upstairs unaware of the conversation at hand. She walked towards the bank's front door. The confidence of before was now gone. Her heels were soft on marble, barely making a sound as she crept closer to freedom.

Rothman couldn't resist one last reminder of his power.

"For you know only too well what I do to my enemies."

He felt a surge of pride flare through his heart at the single tear running down her cheek.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Where's Majesty?"

Hook flinched at the little boy's question. They were in the Mayor's Mansion, the black and white walls feeling far too bare without their queen's presence. Prince Charming was off speaking in quiet tones with Robin and Emma. Naturally it was they who decided it best to leave the preschooler alone with the pirate, ignorant of his questioning nature.

Roland stared at him with wide brown eyes. His curly mop looked more wild than usual. His clothes didn't even match. His grey monkey stuck tight to his chest.

"Is she still fighting bad guys?" the boy asked.

The pirate fought valiantly to keep his temper in check. The young outlaw was unaware of the queen's danger. He only knew that she wasn't home to tuck him in at night. As a result he and Cora were sheltered from most conversations. Emma had to work extra hard to calm Henry before he could even approach his siblings.

"Aye lad," Hook said, "The queen is still fighting terrible foes to protect you and the other young royals."

The boy smiled, childish pride mixing with wonder and glee. His innocence was enviable. Even Henry was finding it hard to believe in his mother's return. Cora's constant cries probably didn't help. The wee babe never stopped begging for her mother. Even when Snow White held her precious godchild, the princess whimpered in misery that the queen was not there.

"You can't ask Gold! We can't trust him."

Emma's voice carried heavy through the air. Despite the many soundproofing spells cluttering the walls of the queen's office, the sound still penetrated. The savior's fear and distrust was too loud to stifle as well. It was enough to make the little boy before him flinch.

"He's helped us just as many times as he betrayed us," the prince's voice carried on.

Roland's big brown eyes flicked towards the queen's office, taking in its closed door. His prideful smile disappeared. His small arms pulled tighter on the stuffed monkey. His chin began to tremble.

Hook silently cursed his Swan and her loud reactions.

"Uncle Hook?" Roland's quiet voice asked.

The pirate felt a swell of affection send shockwaves through his veins. He pulled the young outlaw close to his chest, squeezing him a bit too tight. The boy didn't much seem to mind. He hugged back just as fiercely.

"What is it, lad?" Hook asked.

"Is Majesty mad at me?"

A flare of pain mixed with fear shot through the pirate's heart. He turned the boy to face him, no easy feat when Regina practically fed the boy bricks. His hook pushed the little pouting chin upwards so brown eyes met ocean blue. He forced a calming smile to stretch against his chapped lips.

"You listen here, lad," the pirate said, "You could be the worst pirate on the seven seas or cast a thousand dark curses, but the queen would never be mad at you. What brought this on?"

Roland shrugged his tiny shoulders. He looked on the verge of tears. His chubby hands took hold of the dangerous hook. He pulled it off like the little thief he was, no caution or concern in his actions. Then he started nervously running his hands all over the weapon as if it were just another toy.

"Papa's sad," he whispered, "like he was with my other mamma."

 _Ah_ , the pirate thought. Another pang of guilt rang out through his heart. He could feel his chest squeeze and a strange prickle began to form in the backs of his eyes.

The little one sniffled softly. He immediately stretched out his nose and wiped away the invisible snot. Then he looked at his wet sleeve in shock and silent horror. Guilt stretched onto his features, making crocodile tears escape his too big eyes.

"Regina takes care of Cora and Henry," Roland said, "And Cora cries when she's not here. Henry is always angry. Is Majesty with Mamma? Is that why she can't read me stories?"

More tears seemed to come as the tiny lad finally gave voice to his fears. Hook found himself wiping away those infernal things as quickly as possible. He cuddled the tiny body close until he was certain snot decorated every inch of his sky blue shirt.

He didn't care about his appearance so long as he got the boy to stop his tears.

"No lad," Hook said, "your Papa and Emma would never let that happen."

It was a silent promise he knew he shouldn't make. But the child's cries were dying down into huffing breaths. The boy even backed away and dared look him in the eyes again. His right hand shot out to wipe away more of those stray tears. Roland hungrily leaned into the touch, seeking comfort wherever he could.

"Besides," the pirate said, "have you ever known the queen to fail?"

A light chuckle escaped little lips. Roland seemed ready to burst with his newfound happiness. He shook his head until wild curls flung out. Yet his little dimples weren't quite on full display yet.

"Regina promised me ice cream," the boy said.

There was a new glint in his eyes. Regina's evil smile graced his little lips. Robin's stubborn dimples were now on full display. His chubby hands pulled the stuffed monkey tighter, giving the pirate an idea of the image his big brother was at this particular age. They may never share blood with their mother, but the pirate knew that particular mischievous spark when he saw it.

"Oh she did, did she?" Hook asked, playing along immediately.

The boy nodded his head before letting out a whisper that sent warmth through the pirate captain's veins.

"And Majesty never breaks her promises."

"Aye lad," Hook agreed, "And we all know how much you love ice cream… Almost as much as tickle fights."

The boy squealed in delight as the pirate put his one hand to use. His fingers wiggled away into the boy's sides. The little outlaw laughed and begged for mercy. But the boy would always be the queen's brave little knight first and foremost.

He lunged forward to attack, taking the pirate captain by surprise. Before too long he was tackling him to the seat of the couch, cushions flying in their battle. Roland even managed to skillfully use the hook as a torture device. He seemed to know the exact pressure that wouldn't cause harm. Hook was silently proud.

A sudden presence in the room alerted the pirate to their audience. He was quick to scoop the boy up and back into his lap. He replaced his hook without a single glance in the prince's direction. Then he flicked the boy on the nose and gave him a good pat on the bum.

"Now remember lad," he said, "If Regina asks, what do pirates do?"

"Drink rum and fight off scurvy," the boy replied exactly as rehearsed a million times before, "and rescue fair maidens from the vicious mermaids."

"Aye," Hook said, "Now run along before Uncle David thinks me a good influence on you."

"Once a pirate always a pirate!" Roland cheered.

The boy left with a big pep to his step. He left the room with both fists, and spirits, raised high. He even managed to bring a smile to Henry's face, grabbing the older boy's hand and leading him on yet another impressive adventure.

Prince Charming himself stood in the foyer with a bright smile on his face. Hook narrowed his eyes at him. The office door was still held firmly closed. There was no ending to the meeting insight.

"You were good with him," the prince said.

"Yes well," Hook replied, "Someone needs to teach him how to be a dashing scoundrel."

"No," Charming shook his head and that damn smile only seemed to grow. "I saw you. He needed comfort and you gave it to him. Why do you think he calls you Uncle Hook?"

"Because he calls you Uncle David," Hook said.

This was apparently the prince's point. His teeth were now showing his smile was so wide. He walked towards him and even chuckled at the confusion on the pirate's face. A gentle hand clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing ever so affectionately.

"Exactly," he said, "we're family. Even he recognizes that."

"Rothbart and the witch seem perfectly unaware."

Hook was pleased to see his face was not the only one puckered with a dark snarl. Then a thoughtful expression appeared on the prince's features. His calm hand went to his chin and his eyes showed his new approach.

"That's their misfortune," he said, "Tell me, pirate. What was your first instinct when you and Emma arrived in the park?"

"Grab the lads and princess and make certain that witch never finds them," he replied.

It was only a second later that his words penetrated. His heart began to hammer, reliving the fear for the children's lives. It wasn't just out of obligation for Emma and her son. He was damn near frightened at the prospect of losing Roland and Cora too. He couldn't lose his little outlaw and the future pirate princess at the hands of the wicked witch.

"We'll find her Hook," David said.

"Aye," the pirate agreed, "It's what this family does."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"You can't trust her."

Of all the things Killian was expecting, Gold arguing with his girlfriend was not one of them. He stepped into the station in time to see the two neck and neck. The pair were breathing the same air they were standing so close.

"Until evidence tells me otherwise I have no choice," Emma said.

Gold was unhappy with her answer. He leaned heavily on his cane. He gave a great guffaw and tried to reason with the blonde his usual way, with harsh words and brash reality.

"You've barely known the girl for a day and you already trust her?" He said, "I thought that was the one thing you were unable to inherit from your parents."

Emma rolled her eyes. She released a rather dramatic sigh and threw her hands up in the air. Her blonde hair shook from side to side. She stomped her foot like a toddler.

"I never said I trusted her," she said, "I simply stated that there is no evidence to tell me I can't. Besides, you're the one who let them go. If you had charged him we could have found out what they wanted with the potions you left unprotected. I should be arresting you."

That seemed to win the argument in her opinion. Her arms folded over themselves. She turned away and walked towards her office without another word. Gold though had other plans.

"Odette Loche," he said, "Ryder Wood. They are quite obviously aliases of some sort."

"How so?" Emma asked.

"The girl's a princess and Ryder literally means knight," Gold said, "Even you're not that stupid. Can you honestly tell me they're not lying about their names?"

Emma opened her mouth in a valiant effort to reply. A strange sound of garbled words and unsure notions came out. Her mouth closed and she shook her head shamefully.

"You can't because you know I'm right."

"They may be lying about their names but you've done allot worse so I suggest you get out of here now before I decide to investigate a little further into your nefarious plans."

"If you don't believe me check the book."

Emma froze on the spot. Killian's own heart skipped a beat. He felt his lungs refuse to expand. The deputy quickly reminded himself to breathe and entered the room.

"What's going on here?" He asked.

He knew full well neither person believed he had just walked in. Emma knew him better than that and Gold never carried a good thought his way. So he casually grinned and immediately headed to his desk as if it were business as usual. He didn't miss the sheriff's soft smile at his behavior.

"Gold was just leaving," Emma said.

She gave the pawnbroker a pointed look. It brook no argument and Gold was powerless against it. He no longer had the power to keep the savior at bay. He bowed his head and merely motioned in the direction of David's desk.

"Check the book, Ms. Swan," he said, "and you'll see I'm right."

He left with those parting words. Killian couldn't help but huff at the man. Even without his power he still felt he held all the cards in the deck. He had no idea how useless he was now that he wasn't the Dark One all powerful.

And that was the very reason why Deputy Killian Jones waited until the man was well and far away before voicing his own opinion.

"He's right," he said, "We need to check that book. For all we know she could be a murderer or something."

Emma's right eyebrow simply rose up. She looked mildly irritated by his words. Her lips formed into a vicious snarl. She practically threw herself about her office. She jammed her hand into the top drawer and pulled out the offending object.

It was flopped unceremoniously upon the desk before him. The deputy looked up to find a pair of determined green eyes. Sheriff Emma Swan opened the pages with practiced ease, not even bothering to pause at the pages within.

"I've read this book twice since finding it," Emma said, "Nothing's changed."

She landed as always was her custom on the very image of her parents' wedding day. The two were gazing at each other with absolute love. There was no doubt that their love was true. It bounced off the page in its vibrancy.

"The next page is just of Dad sending me through the wardrobe," the sheriff explained, "That's how the story always ends."

"You told me you never read the last page," Killian replied.

A shadow crossed Emma's beautiful face. Her green eyes dulled and her hands began to shake. She sucked her lower lip in and bit down hard. The deputy quickly went to work. He grabbed her trembling hand and brought all comfort he could.

"Henry ripped them out," she said, "To keep Regina from finding out how the curse is broken. I burned the pages."

The guilt on her face forced the pirate inside of him to growl. He wanted to rip and rage against all evils that dared hurt his delicate swan. He fought the impulse to command his crew to take charge and ransack everything. He ignored his anger and flipped the page.

Emma flinched away. The pain on her features was echoed in Deputy Jones's own chest. It was the image of the Evil Queen. She interrupted the wedding and foretold of the very curse Emma would one day break. He bit down on the worry of Regina's current whereabouts and quickly forced his hand to turn the image over.

The next image was of Emma on the day she was born. Her bundled form was cradled close to her father's chest. Prince Charming was taking the newborn and gently placing her into the magical wardrobe. Emma was only a few minutes old.

"What?"

The sheriff's voice forced Killian to look up. Confusion decorated every inch of Emma Swan's face. She reached towards the page as if in reverence. She suddenly pulled the book close and stared at it in wonder.

"That's impossible," she said.

Killian was lost now. His eyebrows rose and he expected Emma to tell him exactly what he wanted to know. She was too busy staring at the page to even pay attention.

"I burned this," she said, "I remember because this was the only part of the ending I read. I stared at it for hours before I decided what I would tell Henry. Regina tried to push me out of his life and there was no way in hell I was going to stand for it."

"So what's next?"

"I have no idea."

Emma looked almost afraid. Her right hand shot out and delicately wrapped around the image of her first moment with her father. She hungrily soaked in every last line and shadow. Her thumb rubbed over her father's short, blonde hair. Then she turned the page and unleashed a rather uncouth stream of words.

This image was of the last second of the Dark Curse. The Evil Queen stood, hovering over the straight backed image of Snow White. The princess cradled the broken body of Prince Charming in her arms. Her green eyed gaze stared defiantly at the queen and she was giving one of her best hope speeches. The curse's dark purple clouds were destroying every inch of the castle.

The sheriff didn't pause for long on the image. She quickly flipped to view the next masterpiece. It was an image of a new curse. The clock tower was covered in purple smoke, the minute hand moving. The caption read:

 _Magic is coming._

"Hang on," Emma said

She rubbed her fingers against the page. Her mouth fell open in pure shock. Her green eyes blew wide in fear. The worry jumped through Killian's heart. He felt the anticipation buzzing in his veins. He could barely breathe from the prospect of that simple action.

"There's another page," Emma said.

She opened to it without command. Killian watched on with his heart and blood throbbing. Emma simply flipped over that scrap of parchment and brought forth an image worrying in more ways than one.

The image took place in the Enchanted Forest. Its foliage was somewhat familiar to Killian's well-trained eyes. He almost pondered what was so familiar about those plants and trees, but he was distracted. The picture before them was taken up mostly by an image of The Evil Queen.

Her arms were opened wide and magic swirled at her fingertips. Black tendrils wrapped around her arms and neck. Purple clouds decorated the corner of visible sky. Prince Charming was leaning heavily over his sword. His left arm was bleeding profusely and he had another cut right above his eye. At his feet lay an unconscious Robin Hood.

The thief was surrounded by a pool of bright red blood. His side was split open and oozing the icky red stuff. A white glow hovered over his head. Emma Swan was stooped low, her red dress blending into the blood she was trying so hard to stem with her light magic. But it was the image of Captain Hook himself that surprised the deputy most.

He wore a Naval uniform with a captain's stripes upon his shoulders. His smoldering good looks were transformed into a horror filled gaze. His hook gleamed with purple. His sword was out and pointed in the direction of the reader.

And its caption read:

 _And so the story ends as it began… the Evil Queen casts her Dark Curse._

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Hook hated this. Every cell in his body was begging him to stop, to change direction and never look back. But they were running out of time. So to the pawnshop they were doomed to go.

"Relax," Charming said, "It's not like he can refuse us with Belle right there the whole time."

The pirate refused to give the prince a response. Honestly, there were a million and one different ways the Dark One could turn on them. Rumpelstiltskin had a plethora of reasons to hate Hook, and vice versa. Their bad blood ran centuries deep. There was no way either one of them would ever be bosom buddies or even close to it.

Just being near the man made the pirate's skin crawl with indignation.

Before he knew it the door of the shop chimed. The prince had them both in the dusty old shop and the door closed before Hook could even protest. They were at the counter within the blink of an eye. At least Belle kept up her end of the bargain. The librarian stood beside her husband with a wide smile on her features.

"Good afternoon," she said.

Hook tried to smile in kind. He was even certain he might have succeeded. But his eyes soon caught the glowering dark orbs that belonged to Rumpelstiltskin himself. Any semblance of civility was quickly sent away in favor of twin glowering looks that spoke volumes of their mutual hatred.

"Belle here tells me you've come to ask for my help," the Dark One said.

Hook was pleased to note he sounded just as enthused as the rest of them. It was with bitter satisfaction that he pulled his lips into a charming smile. That forced look even turned genuine when he saw Rumpelstiltskin latch onto Belle's arms protectively.

"He's taken Regina," Charming said.

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes in perfect time with the pirate. It was enough of an insult to have both men scowling at each other. Hook tried his hardest not to look mulish. He crossed his arms and flashed his glinting hook, thanks to the Dark One before him. Belle's nervous smile sent a flash of guilt through him like a knife through bread.

"Of that we are all aware," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Though I was under the impression that you heroes had everything perfectly under control."

"Yes well," Charming sounded none-too-pleased to be admitting anything, "Apparently Rothbart is a man of the likes we have never faced before."

The Dark One's lips pulled back into a wonderful, prideful grin. His dark eyes glowed gold for a moment as his pleased expression continued to grow. He tapped his right hand on the counter three times before moving towards them, theatric as ever.

"I'm still unsure of what you need from me," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Ms. Swan is more than capable of creating a simple locator spell even if my old apprentice taught her. Surely her magic would suffice to leading you to the missing queen."

Hook couldn't stop the growl from sprouting forth from his lips. He stepped forward in challenge of the damned man, but the prince's arm shot out in record time. Charming gave him a single warning glare before turning once more to the man whose help they sought.

"He's found a way to block all attempts at finding her," he said, "We need your help, Gold."

Rumpelstiltskin's pleased expression fell away. For a moment Hook thought he recognized a glint of fear. It was so quick and unexpected the pirate couldn't be sure. But he found himself once again wondering at the strange relationship the imp and queen once shared.

"I'm afraid I cannot help you," the Dark One replied.

He walked away without explanation even ignoring his wife's constant callings of "Rumple". The dark man carried on to the back of his room as if no request was made. And Captain Hook's temper boiled at the rejection.

He lunged forward before he could think better of it. Suddenly the pirate was traipsing through freshly cleaned curtains and into the back in a wild huff. He slammed into the Dark One, forcing him face to face. Hook grabbed the imp's lapels and pulled him until they were eye to eye.

"What the hell do you mean?" Hook asked, "You're the bloody Dark One. There is nothing on this earth or below that can stop you and you can't help us? What exactly am I supposed to tell her boys? What am I supposed to tell Henry, your grandson? Oh, sorry lad but the Dark One says he can't-"

His throat constricted before his words did. The pirate found himself falling to his knees, hands grappling towards his throat. No relief would come as the magical chokehold continued to go. So Captain Hook took as deep a breath as he could and turned a hateful ocean blue gaze his tormentor's way.

"Don't forget your place, pirate," Rumpelstiltskin said, "With just a twist of my wrist your miserable life will be at an end and this time your precious savior won't be able to bring you back!"

He released the pirate and stepped away. Hook didn't even bother to rise or gasp at the influx of air. He just kept glaring at the impetuous thing before him. This coward of a man was the very beast he battled so long ago. This was the creature Milah left and lost her life to.

"What am I supposed to tell Cora when she asks where her mother went?" Hook said, "The lass is just a babe. All she'll understand is that she and Roland lost their second chance at a mother."

Rumpelstiltskin's golden gaze turned to a spot near the door of the shop. The pirate knew simply by the softness of his gaze that it was his wife he saw. Belle's perfume filtered through his nostrils before she stepped forward and pulled her husband into a tight hug.

"I can't break my deal," Rumpelstiltskin said, "which is why I cannot help you."

Hook's heart fell to his stomach. His ocean blue eyes closed on reflex. Understanding finally dawned and he felt an influx of hopelessness take over. His breath was deep as he rose to his feet.

"You're the one who cast the spell," Charming said.

This time it was Hook to stop him from charging the Dark One. The pirate pulled against the prince's chest with all he had. The two were still struggling when Rumpelstiltskin at last spoke.

"The deal I made did not specifically say that I could not contribute to your breaking of it."

The struggle stopped. Both men turned their blue eyes the imp's way. Hope began to blaze in the pirate's heart once more. He released the prince and stepped forward, uncaring of his desperation as he grabbed onto the Dark One's shoulders.

"What do you need us to do?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"I just need a minute, okay?"

Killian couldn't really blame her. He was having a tough enough time as it was. He could barely process the book's final image himself. He could only imagine poor Emma's thoughts on the subject.

"That can't be the real book," she said, "Henry read that book cover to cover for months before I got here. There is no way he would have kept that from us."

"Perhaps the lad had forgotten," Killian said, "It has been a long time."

Emma gave him a very pointed glare.

"Regina's his mother," she said, "Henry would never forget an image like that. He has always wanted her to be a hero. He would have asked us to stop that."

"Maybe the lad wasn't able to."

It was not the best of thoughts. The boy's disappearance was felt no matter where they turned. Everybody gave Emma and her father sympathetic looks. There was never a time where someone didn't bestow their condolences.

"No," Emma said, "Regina would never hurt Henry and you not that. Not after the sleeping curse. There has to be some other explanation."

She continued pacing the room ever so eagerly. She was silently muttering to herself, softly taking on the blame of everything once more. Her head and emotions wouldn't be clear for a plan in some time. So Killian did the thing he did best.

He stared at the final page, looking for answers.

His eyes couldn't help but seek out Emma first and foremost. She looked beautiful in her painted form. Her hair was gently thrown to the side, blonde locks braided out of her gorgeous face. Upon her head sat a thin white circlet that displayed her royal status.

The white light from her fingertips surrounded Robin Hood, covering his head in an angelic hue. It was the way the magic swirled from the thief's head to her thin wrist that held the deputy captive. He watched as her wrist turned from white to red. Her dress was something of a common wear for Enchanted Forest Royalty. It clung tight to her skin in all the right places and allowed for quick, easy movement when needed.

Emma's left hand was hidden away in the image, her right hand doing all the work of healing Robin Hood. She was such a beautiful sight that Killian found it difficult to even tear his eyes away. He turned his gaze to the upper right corner of the page in search of a definition of the curse. Instead he found something yellow and not supposed to be.

"Emma," he said.

His girlfriend leapt to attention immediately. She jumped to his side and followed his pointing fingers. There was nothing but silent communication between the two of them. He watched as she stared at the tiny yellow image curiosity and confusion peppering her features.

"Is that?" She asked.

 _Gold was right_ , Killian begrudgingly thought.

On the upper right corner of the page, exactly where Killian's well placed pointer finger ended, was the tiny image of a bright yellow bug. It was caught up in a tiny cyclone and remained undisturbed by the impending curse clouds. But the license plate was definitely one they were familiar with.

"We're going," Emma decreed.

She grabbed her red jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She picked up her badge and tucked her wallet in her front pocket. Her right hand then latched onto Killian's own black leather jacket. She held it out for him with expectation on her features.

A warm feeling engulfed the deputy's stomach. He felt the small smile tug away at his lips even as his hook reached out to stop her movements. Emma's face fell. Confusion blazed onto her features and her green eyes grew bright with unshed tears.

"What are you going to do, love?" he asked.

Emma's face turned away from pain immediately. It was soon eclipsed by a heated smile and an evil glint in her eye. Her right hand wrapped around his bicep and she pulled him forward. A quick kiss fell from her lips onto his.

"I'm going to get my son back," she said, "and the girl is going to help."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It probably should have been expected that they would once again be traipsing about in the forest.

They were never ones to shy away from dirty work. The great Prince Charming was born a shepherd and he was the fabled pirate Captain Hook. It was only a matter of time before they would once again be caught rushing through foliage and fighting off weeds. Honestly, Hook was almost starting to miss it.

"Here," the imp said.

The pirate did not swear. He merely thought of several choice words as he struggled with yet another branch while the Dark One ignored him and his hacking sword. If it wasn't for Prince Charming being ever so mindful Hook would have pushed his sword through that imp already.

 _It's not like he would die_ , Hook thought mournfully.

"As I've told you before," the imp said, "I cannot stop the spell to keep you from hiding her. But I can give you the equipment required to avoid any harm."

Hook grumbled in reply. He bloody well knew how to handle a sword and his several centuries spent on Neverland with the blasted Peter Pan taught him a thing or two about magic. He was certain whatever curse was set upon the queen's cage would be nothing but a small roadblock for Emma. They merely needed to find the raven-haired woman in question…

 _Bloody hell._

The ocean water crashed not too far away from where their original search began. In fact, the cliff was slightly higher where they were currently standing. One little push from the imp and both prince and pirate would be gone.

"This is exactly where we were last time," Charming cursed.

Rumpelstiltskin shook a lonely pointer finger. He pressed it to his lips and pointed down. Where once only grass and sand stood now appeared a red roped ladder.

"This will get you into the cavern entrance," the imp said, "What happens next is up to you entirely. But I can give you something for protection."

He waved his hands and brought about two cloaks. For a moment they each held a familiar purple hue, then they disappeared into a sparkling blue reminiscent of the night sky at sea. Hook took his without delay, reveling in the soft light feel of the fabric.

"As long as you where these no harm will befall you," Rumpelstiltskin explained, "Magical or otherwise. Should Rothbart appear, he will not be able to see or sense you near. The moment you take them off, the magic will overtake you so be certain to not so much as get a scratch upon them. Understand?"

"Cloaks protect us and should we rip them we die," Hook said, "Yes, I believe your point was quite clear."

"But how will Regina know it's us?" Charming asked, "We can't exactly pull this off and put it on her without some retribution."

"Therein lies the wonder of my magic," the imp said, "The cloak will not work against her magic. She will see you and nothing else."

"And getting her out?" Hook asked, "In case you haven't noticed we're a little lacking on magic at the moment. How are we supposed to set her free when we don't even know the quality of her cage?"

A vial stood up proud and unwavering before them. Rumpelstiltskin bobbed it up and down to ensure he had their undivided attention. It was only as the vial moved towards the prince that Hook truly understood what was held so tightly in the vial's grasp.

"Squid ink," he gasped, "but I thought I used all that was left on Emma?"

The Dark One chuckled humorlessly. He shook his head and waved his hand just so. An image appeared in the air, a shiny shimmering tear in the sky that showed a fully stocked shelf hidden away somewhere that looked eerily like the library.

"I made certain my supplies were well stocked after our trip to the Underworld," he said, "Couldn't take the chance of somebody else getting leverage on me, could I?"

The pirate felt the familiar boiling rage fill his veins once more. His hand turned into a blistering fist, flexing in and out in rhythm with his anger. A deep breath in and the prince's reassuring grasp on his shoulder was comfort enough to calm him down.

"And another thing," Rumpelstiltskin replied.

He waved his hand and both swords shot to attention. A mysterious golden hue took hold before fading away. Hook could feel a soft murmuring heat in his fingertips as he grasped his sword tightly. It felt as though it were alive.

"Should you find any trouble those blades will now cut through anything, minus a dwarf's axe of course."

"Thank you," Charming said.

"No thanks necessary so long as you remember our deal," Rumpelstiltskin said, "My family's safety."

"And you have it," Hook said, "But know that it is for Lady Belle and her forgiving nature and kindness."

The Dark One inclined his head

"Hurry," the imp said, "Dusk is approaching fast and you do not want to be down there at night. I taught Rothbart well… He will not hesitate in making certain you can't get to Regina."

And with that he popped away, a mere blink of the eye and he was gone. He didn't even leave a trail of black or red smoke. He simply disappeared and left them to their work.

Storybrooke – Now

The welcome wasn't a warm one. Ryder Wood was ice cold. His brown orbs were filled with absolute loathing. His chiseled jaw worked from side to side, grinding his teeth as he watched every step forward they dared to take. His arms were filled with brown bags of groceries.

"Wood," Emma greeted.

"Ms. Swan," he replied.

Emma flinched. Killian watched the guilt and pain fade the happiness from her eyes. His arm wrapped around her shoulders. He pulled her into his chest and tried to ignore the thoughts of blood and murder he had towards the thief.

"How can I help you?" Ryder said, "Or are you here on the Dark One's orders?"

"Hey," Emma growled, "I don't work for anyone!"

"Well you certainly don't work for the mayor," Ryder replied.

The sting of his words made more impact than Killian was expecting. He felt his pulse quicken and his right hand turned into a fist. He stepped forward as if to punch the young thief in the face repeatedly. But there was something in those brown eyes that spoke of great pain.

They also spoke of betrayal.

"No one works for the mayor right now," Killian said, "She's currently under the impression that she's still the Evil Queen."

The statement was meant to sooth away hostility. Instead it only seemed to make the young man more agitated. His brown eyes blew wide. A scowl formed on his lips. His grip tightened on the grocery bags, eggs erupting all over.

"Where's the girl?" Emma asked.

She was nervous Killian hated to note. He found himself watching the dueling glowers in interest. The thief's jaw tightened impossibly more. His brown mop shook slightly.

"Why?" Ryder said.

"Reasons," Emma replied.

The two exchanged a few more bouts of hostile words. Killian observed the dynamic unsure of what to make of it. It seemed as though they were working by habit alone. For every spiteful thrust of Wood's words Emma came back tenfold with words equally quip and snarky. But neither seemed able to truly cause harm, only to flare the hackles and increase discontent in the other.

"What's going on?"

All eyes turned to the girl in question. Killian could see her raven hair before anything else. It was down, wrapped around her shoulders in a warm dark blanket of color. It framed her olive face softly. Her green jacket was gone, instead a black sweater hugged her curves. A royal blue shirt stuck out as the only source of color in her ensemble. Jeans and black boots equipped for riding decorated the rest of her.

"Nothing," Ryder said, "They were just leaving."

The girl turned a hateful glare his way. Her bright blue eyes narrowed into tiny suspicious slits. The brown bag she carried on her hip flopped harder to her left. Her right hand shot up, keys clanking as she sprang them back and forth in her palm.

Killian stepped forward in haste. His gut was begging him not to lose the girl now, not to the man so hostile to Emma. So the deputy held his hand out with his palm up. He kept his steps slow and careful and his features soft.

"Please," he said, "We only want to talk."

"We have questions," Emma said, "About a yellow bug?"

Both young adults flinched. Their steely gazes faded away into looks of longing. The girl, Princess Odette, turned towards her compatriot with hope glistening in her eyes. The thief merely morphed his features into indifference and uncaring. Killian couldn't help but note the gleam of hope under the surface of his eyes as well.

"What do you want to know?" Ryder asked.

"Only answers," Killian replied, "It seems your… friend here may know more than we originally thought."

"No," Ryder said, "We have nothing to tell you."

"Go."

The girl's voice was harsh on the wind. Her bright blue eyes were once again narrowed in deep suspicion, but they were turned on her partner instead of them. She raised her right eyebrow in obvious challenge. The thief nodded his head and waited for his car door to be unlocked.

"You have an hour," Ryder said, "I will not call first."

Together the pair parted with strange whispers and pointed looks. The anger bounced off of both young adults in frantic ease. Neither Emma Swan nor Killian Jones were privy to the cause of such deep discussion. They were only forced to watch as the two settled their argument. The girl walked forward and the thief drove off.

"Well," she said, "What do you want to discuss?"

At this Emma was the first to act. She parted her hands without once closing her eyes. The book appeared with a simple white glow. The sheriff took to the pages until the spine was part and the final image was visible. She pointed towards the blatant yellow spot in the corner, too big to contest and too obvious to disprove.

"Why is your yellow bug in my missing son's storybook?" She asked.

This time it was the girl's turn to look stunned. Her features paled until they were chalk white. Her red lips parted into a stunned "oh". Her bright blue eyes were wide in confusion and pain. Her right hand leapt to her chest, a golden swan in flight peeked out just underneath her fingertips.

"You remember Henry?" she said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Scaling the cliff was the easy part of their journey. Rumpelstiltskin's magic did them well. It never once wavered even with Hook's obvious disability.

The entryway was a mere crevice between the rocky Cliffside and the raging ocean below. Both men had to squeeze every inch of their body through the small slit of rock and stone. It was a wonder the cloaks were even able to stay on.

But stay on they did and now the two men were faced with the always wonderful decision: which path to take. Three options lay available before them and not a one was without its faults. The path to the right was yet another small crevice between rock and water. The hole was barely enough to fit one man through at a time and there was nothing there but the unknown. The path on the left was equally difficult to navigate with its stalagmites and stalactites dancing on its mouth. There was no way through the jagged lines without fear of being stabbed or worse.

The final path was by far the most inviting and that was what made it so dangerous. A subtle glow filtered through that front, beckoning them forth without a worry or care. It was calling to them.

"Which shall we take?" Hook asked.

"Well," Charming replied, "Ordinarily I would say that the path of least resistance is our best bet but…"

"Agreed," hook said, "It looks far too inviting."

The two men exchanged a heated look silently discussing the pros and cons. Rothbart knew they would come after Regina. He knew they wouldn't stop until they rescued her from his clutches. What other choice did they have?

"The middle one it is," Charmings said.

Hook just wished his voice didn't sound so haunting.

The two stepped forward without delay. It wasn't long before voices began to filter through the air, loud harsh words on the wind. The mysterious glow began to grow and the voices gave way to words.

"Hungry," one said.

"Sooooo booorrrrrred," cried another.

And still yet another, "Quiet!"

A loud smack reverberated from the cave walls. The pirate and the prince shared looks of caution before both looked around the corner. Hook felt his heart squeeze and all hope was lost.

The glow was caused by a magical fire. It sat under a large boiling pot. The putrid stench issuing forth through their nostrils however signaled something far worse. Surrounding the fire sat eight chubby little monsters. The ugly fiends stood no more than the waist when on their fat little stubs they dared call feet. Atop their heads were red caps that stuck straight up to make them appear taller and more distinguished. Giant yellow eyes filled the majority of the head while a several rows of red-black teeth protruded from the slit that was their mouths. They were the source of the putrid smell, a hideous blend of rotting flesh and gasoline.

Gnomes.

Undignified vermin such as gnomes were never interested in taking prisoners. No, their only objective was magic. Any trace of that was keen to catch their fancy. Hook once saw a man covered in fairy dust devoured by a sea of gnomes. There was nothing left but nibble marks on the fragments of bones they didn't like.

Any pirate knew not to mess with them. The nasty monsters often turned cannibal when magic supplies dwindled. But they wouldn't hesitate to imbibe men who traveled around on a magical ship, hunting for magical treasure. So the fact that both prince and pirate wore magical cloaks designed by the Dark One himself was not a point in their favor.

"Rothbart must be mad," Hook whispered, "What kind of magician uses gnomes to guard the sorceress of his affections?"

"A madman," Charming said, "Apparently if he can't have Regina-"

No one can.

That familiar bubbling hatred began to rear its ugly head. The pirate's one good hand turned into an iron fist. His breath came in short, sharp staggering bursts. Red began to tint the edges of his vision. His pulse quickened.

"Hey."

Charming's hand was a gentle presence on his shoulder. The pirate turned away from his horrid thoughts and found himself staring into an understanding mirror of his own features. The prince gave a soft squeeze and the red cleared away. Concern was quick to replace the anger. Charming's hand was exposed to the air and free for the gnomes to see.

And yet the blasted things made no move to approach or even notice.

Blue eyes met ocean blue. Both men stepped forward as one. Neither was keen on stealth but both wanted their skin to remain attached to muscle and bone. Yet despite the sharp tap of their boots the gnomes didn't move.

"Can they hear us?" Hook asked.

Charming jumped high into the air, waving and screaming. He carried on with all kinds of chatter, slamming his sword into the sides of the wall, calling them all sorts of names. He even managed to reveal the extent of their plans and how far he was willing to go to succeed. Still the gnomes didn't budge. They simply sat upon their bottoms and continued their complaints.

"I want chicken."

"Sooooo Huuuuuungry!"

"Quiet!"

"Well," Hook said, "at least there's that."

"I guess Gold's magic is stronger than we thought," charming said, "Where were these when I was rescuing Snow?"

"Or any number of the nasty creatures we've battled over the years," Hook was quick to agree, "How shall we get past these fiends?"

That was the question. Despite the fact that the gnomes were blissfully unaware of their presence, there was the matter of getting out alive. The little campfire they held blocked the only other exit. In order to move on they had to find their way around.

"Can we eat her now?"

Hook felt his stomach drop and his heart fall right out of his chest. His blood began to pulse with the all too familiar rush of fear. His hand shook. One dart to the right confirmed Charming was equally afraid, his blue eyes bulging.

"No stupid," a gnome said.

He slapped his partner upside the head and gave a heated glare. The other simply rubbed his head and bemoaned his misery. The rest of the group bowed their heads and refused to look in their apparent leader's eyes.

"The master wants her alive," he said, "We can only dine on the heroes who rescue her."

"But it's been three days," a quiet voice said, "Nobody's come to rescue her."

"They will," the leader said, "The master said."

"We need to get her out of here," Hook whispered.

Charming made no reply. He simply bent down low to the ground. His hand skimmed the surface of jagged rocks and slimy things until landing on the perfect specimen. A single smooth stone flipped up and down, twisting and turning at the prince's urging. With a mighty flick of the wrist it was gone.

The rock flew through the air, soaring over little heads with ease. It landed with a loud thwack. A big splash of water was quick to follow.

Eight little pink noses twitched. The gnomes' tiny heads twisted towards the source of noise. Hungrily they moved as one, a school of fish hunting prey. A catapult of tiny feet sprang forward until the gaggle of beasts stood as close to the water as possible. The prince and the pirate took that as their cue.

Together the grown men tip-toed around the vicious beasts boastfully describing the stew they would soon make. They were unaware of the men's absence. Their small, hungry voices broke out into shouts. An argument ensued. Then the prince and pirate were ushered into complete darkness.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

They couldn't go to Granny's. They had a tight deadline and Leroy wasn't known for his silence. Besides, nobody would give the savior and the stranger any hint of privacy. They were all nosy townsfolk and no blasted curse would ever change that. The rumors alone swirling around would be impossible to stop.

So it was without a doubt the best option to have their discussion in the woods. Privacy was one of the few guarantees. The girl also needed to be returned to her compatriot within the hour and what better way was there to ensure that of happening.

Of course, he had no idea that Killian Jones was already keenly aware of their little tail.

 _Three paces west in the trees directly under the canopy_ , he thought.

The thief was giftedly quiet. Killian had to use all the tools of the trade in order to catch a single glimpse of him. It wasn't even anything major. It was just the way a few branches moved that gave away to a sign that something big was moving about above the forest floor. Plus there was the endless feeling of eyes watching them.

Of course that could have been the Merry Men flanking them on all sides.

"How do you know about Henry?" Emma asked.

Apparently the Merry Men didn't count as gossips. Emma obviously didn't frequent the Rabbit Hole. Of course, Killian already knew that. It was the reason he did.

"Is there anyone in Storybrooke who doesn't know of the Truest Believer?" Odette replied.

The girl held a cheeky little grin upon her features. Two divots formed in her cheeks before quickly fading away. Her bright blue eyes shot back towards him, watching his every movement with perfect calculation. If Killian hadn't been aware of those same tactics he would have never known she was cataloging his weapon supply.

"I guess not," Emma said, "But then again you're not from Storybrooke, are you?"

The girl stopped walking. Her bright blue eyes grew wide. Her face paled yet again. But this time her jaw moved from side to side, grinding itself ever so slowly. Her fingers flexed before forming into tight fists at her sides.

"I took the liberty of running your license plate," Emma continued, "They aren't even from Maine. What were you doing in Boston?"

"Riding out the Dark Curse," the girl mumbled in reply.

"What was that?" Emma asked.

The girl refused to answer so Killian was quick to bring her words to light. Odette's entire demeanor faded right before their very eyes. She was no longer beaming broadly for attention. She was closed off and her straight spine was now stooped low as if readying for another vicious verbal blow.

"The Dark Curse," Emma said, "You were a part of that?"

Odette's face lit up. Her blue eyes took on a vibrant glow, the whites of her eyes taking on extra light. The smile came back to her face. Her cheeks collapsed into dents. Her spine went ramrod straight in her obvious excitement.

"You remember the curse?" She asked, "You know what happened. Do you remember who cast it? That means you remember my family. We're gonna get them back!"

Killian frowned. The girl was too excited for her own good. The missing children were the curse. Nothing pointed to any sign of the Dark Curse once again being cast. That was absurd.

"You don't remember, do you?"

Bright blue eyes were staring directly at him. Great, deep sadness took over her features. She deflated once more. The deputy reached out a comforting hand on reflex alone. He was surprised to find the girl willingly leaning into his roaming touch. She even managed a smile as his thumb rubbed her elbow.

"I miss you," she whimpered.

Killian knew he wasn't supposed to have heard that. One look at Emma confirmed it. Her green eyed gaze was filled with wonderment. She observed the girl with a new sense of sadness.

"We're supposed to know you," the sheriff said, "Aren't we?"

Odette simply nodded her head. Her features morphed into a cool, calm exterior. The sadness and defeat from before was gone. With a simple shrugging off of the deputy's one good hand, she walked forward with her head held high.

"I'm not certain how much you are allowed to know," she said, "When my… uh, when Ryder and I tried to tell you everything before you couldn't hear it. You just kept repeating yourselves. He lost his temper pretty quickly after that. Too much like… well, it's kind of a family weakness."

Emma stopped forcing Killian to work hard to avoid her. He shared in the sheriff's stunned look. He couldn't help but wonder when the girl could have spoken to them. They were always so cautious about what and whom to believe. So why was she talking about a curse that they couldn't remember when they were trying to solve that very problem.

"You did it again," Odette said, "You faded out so you couldn't hear me."

Killian looked up startled to find a comforting hand on his shoulder. A spark of heat climbed his arm and entered his heart. For a moment he could almost pinpoint her features. He could see a small child of six or seven begging him for another spin through the air. He could picture Emma in the distance, smile big as she watched them twirl around in search of dragons and other vicious monsters.

The image faded away too quickly. He couldn't even find the specific traits anymore. He could only see the girl who now stood on the brink of womanhood. She held a guarded look in her blue eyes now. The softness and glow of adventure was gone.

For some reason Killian Jones felt himself responsible for that.

"So this curse isn't what we think it is," Emma said, "There's a reason the children are missing."

"Yes," Odette replied, "But I'm not exactly sure what to do about it."

"What do you mean?" Killian asked.

"Well my parents didn't exactly tell me how to break the curse," the girl said, "I had a tough enough time finding Storybrooke. But now that I'm here I promise that I will do everything I can to-"

A terrifying guttural scream ripped through the woods, a scream that sounded masculine in nature. Killian looked up in search of the thief. He was nowhere to be found among the trees.

This time it was a woman who screamed.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Now what?" Hook was forced to demand.

It was too dark to see. Even the whites of Charming's eyes had disappeared into obscurity. They were stuck in the perfect cloak of darkness. They couldn't move forward and they were fools to go back. So they were stuck until they found a source of light.

Charming's close began to ruffle. He sent a few stray curses before cheering in victory. Just when the pirate was about ask what was happening, a blue light appeared. The magical object pulled up from the darkness and shined bright. It was Prince Charming's chiseled chin that met his eyes next.

"Cell phones," he said, "They're not just for pressing the Emma button."

 _I like the Emma button_ , Hook thought.

The pirate captain quickly rummaged his pockets for his own magical talking device. He was amazed to find he too had the power of light at his disposal. He quickly utilized it by pointing further down the cavern's depths.

The air was getting thinner. A soft mist filled the lungs with every step. Hook's skin tingled warnings of danger compelling him to go back. But he refused as did the prince. They walked forward in hopes of victory and the possible joy on three little faces.

Prince Charming stepped forward only three paces ahead of him. A slight shimmer curled on the air and before either man could react the whole room burst forth into light. The phones fell to the ground as both rushed to protect their eyes.

They found themselves standing in a giant black circle. Once his eyes adjusted Hook could make out the familiar figure of a lion reared for war. A field of black stood firm behind the massive thing. Torches encircled them from every direction. Then the shadows moved.

The beasts grew from the very shadows all around. They growled and hissed into existence and refused to go away. Sharp jagged rows of teeth aligned black, dark muzzles. Red eyes vibrating with magic sat atop their heads. Claws the size of a man's boot decorated four black paws. Droopy ears and sagging skin faded away into ebony bones with silver trim.

"What the hell is that?" Hook asked the unfortunate soul caught closest to the beasts.

"They look like blood hounds," Charming said, "except for the bones and the teeth. Maybe they can be tamed?"

The beasts' claws grew out as they talked. Both man backed away, hands raised in placating surrender. But the creature still swung the pirate's way. Each vicious thing could barely contain its rage and they proved it by blocking their way and covering both exits.

"Hellhounds are wonderful creatures, aren't they?"

The voice came from the distance, a deep timbre that rumbled through the air. A lone soldier emerged from the very place the heroes were heading. His arms were held attentive at his sides. A lonesome black hatchet stood firm in his right hand. His helmet covered every inch of his face. That damned lion stood out on his breastplate, hungry and proud against his favorite field of black.

"Rothbart," Charming swore.

"I apologize for not appearing myself, but I have more important tasks at hand than catering to the ego of heroes."

The large black soldier stepped forward, hatchet slamming to his breast. His closed helmet bounced as Rothbart's poisonous speech continued.

"As you can see whatever spell Rumple gave you cannot fool a hellhound. These creatures have been trained to detect the dead."

The creatures snarled in reply. There were six, seven, a dozen at least and they were multiplying rapidly. They encircled the two like a pack of wolves, hissing and growling menacingly. The glint in their red eyes was ravenous.

"Oh," Rothbart said, "I almost forgot to tell you. Only Imperial gold can slay these beasts. Minions of the king of hell tend to do that. Heard you met him. He sends his regards."

The soldier then raised his gloved black hand. High into the air it went. A single rubbing o thumb and middle finger created a loud snap.

The dogs attacked.

Their approach was slow. Hook and Charming drew their swords and readied for battle. Then the teasing stopped. Rows and rows of teeth and claws pelted towards them. Black shadows sprang to life every which way.

The prince moved left and the pirate went right. They stood back to back, prepared to fight to the death. Every strike removed a head from one of the shadowy hellhounds. It was no use. For every one the pair knocked down a head grew back and the beast returned to the hunt.

The pair were separated not too far into the battle. Both were exhausted and well beyond their reserves. Sloppy mistakes were getting harder and harder to curb. Hook could feel his concentration slipping.

Giant claws stretched forward. They glinted in the torches' ethereal glow. They sank towards the pirate captain's good hand. A white light erupted forth as it made contact. The hellhound burst into flames.

The other beasts jumped away in surprise. They growled and hissed but cowered away. None seemed brave enough to join their friend in a slow, flaming death. Still the beasts were unwilling to give up. They coyly blocked the path to the queen and growled knowingly.

Bastards, Hook thought.

A loud scream echoed from the walls. The quiet soldier stood on the sidelines no longer. He raced forward, hatchet swinging. He swiped and whipped it blind to his enemy's whereabouts. The pirate and prince stepped away from his impressive lows, avoiding certain death by their advantage alone.

"We need to get out of here," Charming stated the obvious.

Hook looked in the direction of the hellhounds and cursed. There was no way they would be able to get through even with the Dark One's magic. If they divided themselves they might have stood a chance but the choices were limited for the one who stayed behind. There was a high likelihood of death on the horizon and Emma was going to kill them both for being so stupid.

If the queen doesn't beat her to it.

"Watch out!" The prince bellowed.

Before Captain Hook could even hope to act, the soldier was upon him. His hatchet forced itself down. Within a flash the hatchet buried itself deep in blood and flesh. Hook was forced to watch as Prince Charming hollered in pain, hatchet stuck well into his shoulder.

The soldier tugged on his embedded weapon. The prince was forced to suffer more pain and the soldier seemed immune of feelings entirely. Hook made quick work with his blade. He removed the soldier's hand from his arm. He pushed Charming away from the hungry hellhounds and forced himself to run.

"We're going the wrong way."

The pirate smiled, happy to hear the man's usual unhelpful comments. Yes they were indeed heading back in the direction of the gnomes. Hook was well aware of the danger of his plan but they were out of options. The hellhounds were well on their trail and soldier's howling manic needed to be put to rest.

So it was only with a small bit of fear that the pirate forced the prince to crouch low to the ground. He removed his cloak and quickly draped it over the man. He rushed towards the hungry gnomes and screamed for all his worth.

"Hey," he said, "Anybody want a one-handed pirate with a magical hook?"

The gnomes took the bait predictably fast. Their giant gold eyes contract into hungry slits. They lunged forward without thought or care. Some even unleashed all seven rows of teeth in hungry bliss. They were so focused on the pirate that they seemed not to notice the herd of hellhounds eight paces behind.

A giant force hit Hook before he could even think of an escape. He found himself staring at cold, slimy rock while a battle of vermin commenced above. Droplets of blood splashed down on the ground an inch from his face.

The prince pulled him to his feet without ceremony. They stumbled over snarling teeth and headless gnomes. The soldier had been devoured by three of the ugly garden decorations before the hellhounds began their turn of tide. Then they were all gone, disappeared behind layers and layers of rock and the two men were blindly racing forward with all their might.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The trees were a whirl of motion. Or perhaps they were the whirl of motion. Killian found it impossible to think straight. He could barely see more than dense foliage all around. He couldn't even tell the difference between the trees and the ground. He only had small streaks of blonde or red as his guide.

A hot red mess began to hover over his right eye. Sticky, sweet sap fell into the deputy's mouth making him sputter and spurn the bloody forest. That was when he became aware of the soft stinging on every inch of his face. Killian raised his hand to wipe at his brow. Swat and blood mixed together on his fingertips.

"Killian!" Emma screamed.

The deputy raced towards the sheriff. Fear grew in his bones at the prospect of his Swan Princess in danger. He plunged into the depths of the forest, following the source of the sound.

His foot slammed into something hard. He felt his momentum pitch his body forward. His hand reached out to stop his decent. He paused mid-air.

A fluttering feeling pulled on his back and fored his shoulder backward. His boots touched the ground. The tiny pinpricks on his face disappeared in a soothing balm of light. Killian turned to find Emma staring at him with concentration. Her fingers held a soft white glow.

"Thanks love," he said.

The gentle touch of Emma's magic disappeared. With a simple nod of her head the two were off, foraging through the clearing for clues. It was then Killian became aware of his surroundings. The river could still be heard rushing by.

The wind bounced off the distant toll bridge just so. Its high whistle combined with the loud rustle of tarps and canvas. The camp's tents billowed in the wind. The fire pit's ashes soared through the air. And Killian Jones discovered what hard substance slammed into his foot.

It was none other than Sir Frederick of King Midas' realm.

He was struck down by a single arrow to the heart. The killer hadn't the nerve to face him. The arrow's stub of a shaft protruded at an angle from the back. Frederick's beloved Princess Abigail, the former Kathryn Nolan, was nowhere to be found.

"Why the hell was he at my camp?" Odette asked.

 _Where's Wood?_ Deputy Jones thought.

His ocean blue gaze connected with green. Emma silently nodded her head, shooting careful glances the girl's way. They walked as a unit, ten paces behind the curious girl, following the direction of blood and footprints.

Broken branches laid where they were snapped by racing bodies. Leaves strewn from their rightful place were all about. Tracks suggested a pair of heeled boots ripping through foliage in a great rush.

She made it to the river, Killian thought, almost to the Merry Men.

And it was true. The forest dwellers were already on the scene. Their weapons were raised towards danger. It was Tuck who led the group this time. His bald head and trimmed beard stood out in giant contrast to the woodsy area surrounding them.

It was on the bridge he stood, protecting the second body Deputy Jones hoped they would never find. Upon closer inspection his worst fears were realized. Princess Abigail lay on her back spread eagle. Her hazel eyes were opened wide, mouth ajar in silent horror. Her golden hair loomed over the rushing river below. She had made it nearly half way before death claimed her on the bridge.

It was a single arrow to the heart exactly like her one true love. The shaft was broken just as before. The only difference lay with a single shred of feather still attached to the shaft. One with a brown eye and green surround.

"Found him!" A familiar voice cried.

Little John walked proudly with his catch. The evidence was well grasped in his right hand. The peacock feathers matched the shredded remains perfectly. The quiver was full of the wretched things and the bow had enough leaves and vines to suggest running to evade capture.

In the burly man's left hand the culprit still struggled. Held by the scruff of his neck his black jacket covered every inch of skin. He was struggling enough that identifying his form was next to impossible. John had to twirl his hand just to get a better grip.

"I found him trying to destroy the evidence," he said.

Then the culprit attacked.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It felt as though hours passed by when they finally regained their sight. Where once was black now stood a shining beacon of a wooden door. The prince collapsed into it in relief. It was then Hook became aware of the hatchet still protruding from his shoulder.

"This is going to hurt."

The pirate gave no other warning. He didn't even allow the prince to prepare. He simply latched his good hand onto the blasted weapon and yanked with all his might. The blade slipped through with ease. Charming's blood spurted out at the door despite all efforts to stop the flow. It was then that light began to take over.

A purple hue inched over the door and jammed into the prince's shoulder. Suddenly the skin and muscle stitched itself together. The prince's painful cries ceased to exist. The door burned away with the blood spilt.

"What do you want now?"

The familiar voice was the strike of energy they needed. Both men bolted to their feet. They raced forward as one. Each were too stunned to fully comprehend what was happening. The pirate was the first to reach the bars.

"Regina!" Charming called, "It was your magic that healed me. I should have known."

It was the first genuine smile Hook saw for a long while. He took his hooked hand and quickly smashed it into the lock. It fell away without so much as a fuss.

"No!" Regina replied.

Hook paused at the sound of her voice. He ignored the celebratory whoop and found himself stuck to his current position. Charming however held no qualms about rushing forward. He pulled open the cage's gate and ran inside.

"Morons," Regina whispered.

There was defeat in her voice. That was what made the pirate pause. Seconds later he had the frightful answer he was hoping never to receive.

"No!" Charming screamed.

It was a mirror. All of this fighting, all of this searching; it was useless. Everything had been for nothing. They were no step closer to achieving their goal.

The queen was never here at all.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

An elbow found home in a tender area of John's stomach. He doubled over in pain. Before he even had time to adjust a knee went to his chest and a quick thrust of the legs brought him to the ground. The culprit took off without the weapons, straight towards the Merry Men's camp.

Everyone followed in pursuit, John wheezing from exertion. Only a few of the new recruits were left to watch over the dead bodies of friends from long ago. They ripped through the trees in search of this dangerous monster, this vicious fiend who dared hurt their own.

It was only as they breached the clearing that they became aware of the murderer's plans. The culprit was quick in untying his horse. He used the tether to pull himself on top of it. Then he took off at a sift gallop without giving his animal any time to get use to the motion.

"The barbarian," Killian said stunned that the words came out loud.

"Those are the queen's horses," Tuck said.

Killian didn't even hesitate. He jumped onto the closest steed and raced off. It was only at a glance that he noticed Odette doing the same. Something from her right hand flashed in the light. The deputy forced his horse to turn prepared for even the slightest sign of harm. But the girl's words stopped him in his tracks.

"Take the bug," she said, "I'll try to take him at the stables."

Emma took the keys and both riders were off.

The horses' hooves thundered on the ground. Killian's heart raced in rhythm with their arduous sound. He could feel the glorious wind rippling through his hair. It tore at his face in wonderful grace. But even his fine horsemanship was no match for the culprit ahead.

The murderer's hood fell during his rise to break neck speeds. He was two, three cliques away and gaining distancing fast. Even an experienced rider wouldn't dare catch up. Killian's steed could barely maintain its long strides.

The thundering of more hooves forced the deputy's eyes away from their charge. Princess Odette was already at full gallop and urging her mare forward. The beast was perfectly white. Its billowing white-blonde wisps combined with long raven locks in beautiful contrast. Horse and rider were united as one being as they galloped through the fields ahead.

The mare gained speed with every whispered urging. The girl was determined to stop the criminal and the horse was more than eager for the task.

"Come on Roan, faster," the girl begged.

The horse took on a new burst of speed. Killian was overtaken in seconds. His steed pulled back to a steady trot and together they watched.

Odette leaned to her left and the horse didn't react. The mare only continued to beat her hooves harder in the earth. The girl released her left hand from the delicate white-blonde mane. Slowly as they approached the other rider, Odette's right hand released as well.

She pulled herself onto the other horse with surprise strength. The murderer seemed unaware of her presence. He didn't struggle until she proceeded to pull him off. Together they landed in an impressive heap, grunting and groaning in pain. Killian caught up just in time for the final reveal.

"You?" the girl said.

Sure enough, sitting on the dirt covered in grass and sweat was none other than Ryder Wood.

"You!" Ryder growled.

His brown orbs were filled with distaste and disgust. He stared at Killian as if all of his troubles were due solely to the deputy before him. The thief sent daggers his way. He didn't even care that the girl was pulling on him, shaking him to prove this nightmare was at an end.

"You wouldn't," she said.

That was the moment Emma arrived. The yellow bug slammed into park and the blonde removed herself with a loud sigh. She scrambled forward with her handcuffs aimed at the prisoner. Her green eyes blew wide when she took in the exact culprit she faced.

"You," she said.

Ryder Wood simply rolled his big brown eyes. His chiseled jaw worked itself into a grinding frenzy. Lazily he removed his steely gaze to peer at the sheriff intent on arresting him yet again.

"Not that you care," he said, "but I was framed."

Emma snorted in disbelief. She slapped the cuffs on the thief without a moment's hesitation. Her green eyes were only glued to the girl. Odette sat upon the grass, blue eyes wide in panic. Her hands kept pulling on her partner's shirt, begging him for this all to be a ruse.

This was the moment his brown eyes softened. He leaned his curly mop forward and pressed his forehead into hers. A whispered reassurance was all he had.

"Locks don't bother me."

Killian felt his heart stop. His ocean blue gaze locked with Emma Swan's. He noted the same fear and confusion in her eyes. He watched the way her fingers trembled as she forced the thief to stand. They both could only focus on one thing.

Neal Cassidy taught Emma those very same words.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"No!" Charming screamed.

The prince latched both arms onto the mirror and shook at it uselessly. The mirror did not sway and the queen was still locked inside. They were no closer to finding her than they had been all along. Regina was still trapped in a cave so different from their own.

"We're rescuing you," he said.

Hook couldn't help but bow his head in defeat. He scuffed his right shoe against the ground, under no semblance of surprise. Only white hot rage seemed to be filling his veins and one look at the prince confirmed he was feeling the same. This was the worst trick in the book.

They were duped.

Regina laughed, cold and cruel; far too similar to the days when she was the Evil Queen and they her pawns. Her right hand rose through the air and quickly forced itself into her mouth. A new glint appeared in her chocolate eyes. Hook finally became aware of the slight tremble of her chin.

She was trying not to cry.

"Did you really think he would make it so easy?" She asked.

"No," Hook said, "Don't do that Regina. Have faith. We will find you."

"It's all we ever do," Charming sighed.

Finally he removed himself from that dreadful mirror. His hands formed tight fists. He raised both hands as if to hammer them down into something. The prince paused his movements, reminding himself not to do what he wanted.

"There has to be something we can do," Hook said.

"Rothbart's fight is with Robin," Charming said, "Perhaps we can come up with some form-"

"No," Regina said, "There is no end to Rothbart's revenge."

Charming was aghast.

"What?" He said.

"There will be no parlay," Regina said.

Hook's blue eyes went wide with understanding. He stepped forward ready to argue with the queen with all his might. But the prince had already sprung to action, unaware of the exact meaning of her words.

"Regina," Charming said, "Where are you? Can you give us a hint? I know you are being watched but we will find you-"

"You're not listening, Charming," Regina said, "There will be no parlay… no truce. There can only be one victor… and it cannot be you."

"Regina-"

"What has he promised you?" Hook asked.

The queen's chocolate eyes looked on the verge of leaking. She bowed her head gently, soft curls falling to block away her trembling lips. When she looked back up it was with determination. Steel had taken route on her expressive features. Her chin rose high and the confidence of a queen strolled out.

"He says he loves me," she said, "and that I will be free when I feel the same."

"No," Charming replied.

Hook felt his own chest tighten at the queen's words. He stepped forward unsure of his intensions. He watched in silent horror as his hook rose through the air against his will. It started pelting towards the mirrored glass with every intention of shattering it to bits. Only a single hand stopped its forward momentum.

"We won't let that happen!" Charming said.

His eyes were glued not to the mirror and the ensnared queen. No the blue eyed gaze of the prince was trained specifically on the pirate. Hook felt his world threatening to shatter. The tightness in his chest continued to increase. He felt a sudden rage and frustration eat away at his very soul.

It was then that he noticed the prince's throbbing forehead. A single vein pulsed up and down in an angry frown on the top of his head. As the pirate's eyes continued to follow the vein he became aware of other protruding blood vessels popping at his neck and every visible inch of skin. There was a soft tremor in the hand forcing the hook back.

As Hook became aware of all this, his focus began to change. His eyes shot to the left and took note of the wide chocolate eyes in the mirror. He noted the slight grimace on the queen's lips, a flash of pain from her worried movements. His pirate's gaze quickly searched for any possible sign of understanding.

He found it in the absolute worst of things. Hook's eyes latched onto the horrible sliver of a string. It was attached at the queen's left ankle and already glowing with a horrid red light. Regina took one labored step back and the red hot string turned white.

"Bloody hell," the pirate said.

Charming nodded his head slowly. His blue eyes looked stone cold as they met the pirate's frightened gaze. Both men shared a moment of absolute anger in realization of their enemy's true nature.

"Gleipnir," Hook said.

This time there was a soft gasp that sounded through the air. Both men turned to its regal source. The queen's calm right hand covered her mouth. Her chocolate gaze looked horrified and embarrassed. She looked down at the thin strap that was her chain.

"You've seen it before as well?" Charming asked.

The pirate merely nodded, already aware of every horrid thing Gleipnir was responsible for. Wars had been fought and won because of that chain. Many lives were lost because someone tied that nasty bond over another man's wife. It held the wearer prisoner, stopping all magic in its tracks. Only once the bond had been broken, usually with death or by meeting the demands of the captor, would the chain be powerless.

"Then you understand why you must go," the queen said.

"Regina…" Hook began.

"No, Killian," Regina said, "Leave. I will never sway to his demands and I will not lose Robin to this monster. So go… give Emma and Henry the happy ending they deserve."

The hooked arm fell limp to the pirate's side. The prince dropped it so he could once again latch onto the damned mirror. Charming turned an icy hot glare onto the queen, demanding her attention with a snarling hiss from his throat.

"No Regina," he said, "We are not abandoning you. I promised Snow I would do everything to set you free. I'm not letting you curse yourself to this again!"

This was how Hook became aware he was not the only one who knew. The prince too was aware of the queen's first curse, the curse her own mother condemned upon her. Regina was once again condemning herself to a life without love and the only way she broke it last time was to become the Evil Queen. They both knew she wouldn't survive such a transformation this time.

She had come much too far.

"Don't you understand, you idiot?" Regina said, "It's already been done!"

A great fear began to swell in the pirate's heart. He felt it lick its way up his spine and penetrate the beating organ without his permission. His pulse began to rise as his feet stepped forward towards the prince and the mirror.

"Can't you see, Prince Charming?" Regina asked.

Hook hated the sound of defeat in her too doomed voice.

"This trick isn't Rothbart's… it's mine."

The pirate had seconds to react. He latched both his hand and hook into the prince's back, uncaring if the hook penetrated cloth or flesh. He pulled back with all his might. Together the two men tumbled to the floor right in the nick of time.

The mirror burst into shards above their heads, magically turning to rain before harm could befall them.

 _Not rain_ , Hook registered softly. The water droplets were filled with far too much salt. He could practically taste the agony in the water dripping onto his head.

 _The queen turned the mirror into tears._

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Deputy Killian Jones took his job on the right side of the law very seriously. It was one of the reasons he volunteered himself for patrol. He was still making a futile attempt at pleasing Emma. It wasn't exactly like it was his fault the queen broke free, he knew that.

But he couldn't help feeling responsible.

Which was why he was traipsing about in the woods, absolutely determined to find some meaning behind the deaths. There had to be a reason Ryder Wood didn't fit the bill of murderer extraordinaire and it had to be in the woods. The forest attracted more than just Emma and the thieves. Regina felt it too. It was the bizarre pull that kept bringing her back to the Merry Men. That same pull was calling to him now and he wouldn't ignore it.

So the deputy raced through the trees, feet unsteady on uneven ground. He knew the trail to the camp as well as both sheriffs. He needed only to be certain of his theory. And sure enough…

The troll bridge stood not even three feet away.

 _Bloody Hell_ , Killian thought.

He swiftly turned in the direction of the thief's camp, their newest crime scene.

 _No,_ he corrected his mind immediately, _his name is Ryder Wood. He is not the thief. Robin is the thief and that is never going to change no matter how hard I try to make it so._

His thoughts kept blaring loudly at him, forcing his focus to waver and hide. He could feel the continuous cycle of confusion edging upon his brain. He wasn't even aware of his actions. All he registered was the small snap of a twig.

He was almost positive it wasn't him.

A sickening crack resounded not too much later. The deputy picked up his paces, hiding behind brushes and foliage just to get a glimpse of the newest threat. He had his phone aimed and ready should he have to press the Emma button.

His ocean blue eyes were stunned to find it completely unnecessary. The blue eyed girl was simply snapping twigs for a fire for her camp, nothing more. Killian had the sudden bubbling urge to laugh at his own paranoia. He stepped back slowly, chuckling softly.

A new crack resounded through the wood.

The deputy's head snapped up, searching for the source. He was surprised to find none other than Robert Rothman. He stepped forward as if he owned the very forest, which technically he did as he was the one who loaned it to the town to begin with.

The girl, Odette, turned in his direction. She didn't relax as would be expected when confronted with Storybrooke's favorite banker. Instead she dropped the few gathered belongings and moved into a fighting stance. Hate, pure unadulterated hatred, filled her delicate olive face.

"You," she said and even that was filled with absolute spite.

"Hello princess," Rothman said, "So nice to see you again."

The girl scowled. She stepped back from him, but her blue eyes never wavered from his frame. Killian couldn't help but see a caged beast instead of young girl barely in her womanhood.

"You didn't have to kill them," she said, "They were innocent. Abigail and Frederick weren't even involved in the original battle. Their kingdom was neutral."

"All sides make sacrifices," Rothman said, "Even the ones who refuse to react."

"And the real reason?"

Rothman's smile was anything but friendly. His blue eyes were filled with cruel cunning. He rubbed his hands together happily.

"They were friends of one of your pathetic family," he said, "and I needed to send a clear message. The thief was a means to an end. Who is he by the way? He seems… familiar."

"What do you want?" Odette said.

Her voice was a crisp whip on the wind. Her posture stiffened and her feet refused to give way. She held her hands up as if to defend herself from blows. Rothman stopped walking forward only when he was well within the thief's camp.

The banker's gaze took in the tents. He chuckled in amusement as his black eyes landed on the yellow bug. He walked towards it, pulling off a black glove as he went. It was with reverence that he petted the bug's back bumper.

"You kept it," Rothman said, "How… sentimental. It's almost precious how you cling to things, my dear. Didn't anyone ever tell you? Love is weak-"

"Love is the most powerful magic of all," Odette replied, "And if you had half a brain you would know to be wary of me."

Killian bit down on a chuckle. The girl had gumption that was certain. He admired the spitfire attitude she seemed to possess in spades. It reminded him of Emma and Regina, there was even a little bit of David and Mary-Margaret in her too.

"And yet," Rothman replied, "Here we are. I am victorious while your parents and their supposed true love is nowhere to be found."

"They'll find each other," Odette said, "They always find each other."

The deputy felt his pulse quicken at the girl's confident words. He sprang up from his hiding place and dared to venture closer, a better view to discover this new enchanting endeavor. Rothman, for his part, looked completely unamused.

With a wave of his black gloved arm a red fireball appeared. From his palm Rothman sent it forth in an impressive attack on the girl. Killian opened his mouth to warn Odette of the danger, full well knowing she was aware and he too far to save her. But the girl went into action all of her own.

A gentle left hand soared through the air, ungloved and attached to a green leather jacket. Perfectly manicured hands with no polish on their nails took the red flames in hand readily, eagerly. Odette brought the magic down to pulse before her very face. She flicked her bright blue eyes towards the ball of fire and watched it crackle and pop around her fingertips.

"You call that a fireball?" She asked.

Odette allowed her palm to open as wide as possible. The flames listened to her apparent magic and Killian was forced to watch in silent awe. The ball turned from red to yellow to green then blue, until finally settling on the brightest of all light. The girl's magic made it burn a bright white before crushing it in a firm olive fist.

"A week in Storybrooke and I've already mastered my magic," Odette said, "How long do you think it will take me to break this curse?"

"A few parlor tricks will do nothing to darken my mood, princess," Rothman said.

He looked upwards, his eyes growing black with every movement. He gently tipped his head forward. That was the moment the trees attacked.

Killian stepped forward but was once again stunned to find courage abandon him. Instead of helping he merely edged into a better hiding place. He watched from his bushy view as tree branches wrapped around the girl's delicate wrists. Her ankles were ensnared by brown bark and she rose through the air as a bird in flight.

"Consider this your one and only warning," Rothman said, "Leave Storybrooke now."

Still the girl's stubbornness could not be swayed. Where many would choose to cower in fear and beg for release, this girl merely smiled in the face of danger. She flicked her fingers just so and the trees gently lowered her to the ground. They were even kind enough to wipe off any offending debris they left behind, apologizing for any discomfort caused.

"We both know you won't kill me," Odette said, "You can't. Killing me will break your curse and that is the last thing you want."

For the first time ever, Killian Jones watched the usual calm visage of Robert Rothman crumble. The man's black eyes turned to steel and his arrogant smile fell away into pure violent rage. He reached out a single black gloved right hand and made the all-too-familiar choking motion magic often did. Odette didn't even look upset as her windpipe continued to be crushed.

"Don't tempt me," Rothman said, "The only reason you are even allowed to live is because of your mother and she doesn't know who you are."

"You kill me," the girl choked out, "and you lose everything."

Rothman released the girl just as she was turning blue. He flexed his fingers as if fighting temptation with every last fiber of his being. He breathed heavily while Odette didn't even heave a gasp of trouble. The princess was far better at controlling her emotions than Rothman could ever hope to be.

Killian smiled with pride suddenly blossoming in his heart.

"You forget your place, foolish girl," Rothman said, "I am the one with the power here!"

Odette smiled. She took a long, exaggerated breath and showed perfectly white, pearly teeth. Killian watched her cheeks in stunned disbelief. He pulled himself just so he could get a closer look at the girl's olive skin and flowing raven hair.

The clock tower chose that moment to chime. Its barking order of ten o'clock rebounded through the forest like a loud oppressive howl. Rothman physically flinched from the vengeful noise. Odette's posture straightened and a new glint began to grow in her bright blue eyes.

"Not for much longer, Rothbart," she said.

And just as Killian was about to interrupt the two and demand answers, Robert Rothman disappeared leaving behind a trail of sulfuric red smoke.

* * *

 **In The Next Chapter:** In present day Storybrooke the search for Ryder's innocence begins and ends with a devastating surprise. Rothbart's plans for revenge take an awful twist with a certain apple red as blood.


	9. The Man With The Lion Tattoo

Storybrooke – Now

Emma paced the floor as slowly and calmly as possible. Her one blessing was that her father was nowhere near her house. He was on patrol and in search of her mother and brother. He wouldn't be back until well after the sun set. But Killian had left hours ago and he wasn't even supposed to be searching for trouble.

She was going to kill him.

The sheriff had just decided to journey out in search of said boyfriend/ deputy. She had her hands on her keys and left hand already flying towards her jacket. But the moving doorknob stilled her body. She waited, breath bated, to see who was walking through the door.

Killian appeared in a quiet rush. His finger shot towards his lip. He quickly looked out to insure nobody followed him. Then he slammed the damned thing and waltzed her way, tugging on her arm.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

Fear began to bubble up her spine.

"Rothman…" he said.

Emma watched him, confusion filling her every vein. Killian stepped forward stumbling on his own two legs. She reached out to grab him, nearly taking herself down with him. Together they worked their way to the kitchen table.

Getting him in a chair was more work than the sheriff ever expected. He kept fighting her for some bizarre reason, saying things about curses and white fireballs. Emma could barely pay attention to where she was going. His hook seemed to be glowing as well.

"What happened?" She repeated hoping her voice would cut through his apparent panic.

Ocean blue eyes filled with unshed tears. A strange anger enveloped Killian's features. His right hand shot out and twisted on the cloth near her heart. He dragged her towards him with an intense ferocity never used before. Their noses were centimeters from touching when he finally spoke.

"Rothman has magic," he said.

Emma's eyes blew wide. She felt her heart rate speed up against her will. Every inch of her body buzzed in quiet alarm. She found herself reaching towards Killian's one hand and holding on tight. It was surprising how quickly her mind stopped whirling with him by her side.

"Explain," she said.

And so he did. He told her everything. From the trek into the woods to Odette's powerful display of courage, nothing was left out. The deputy even explained how the girl didn't even use magic to finish packing her car of the few supplies needed to leave.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked, "I know it may seem crazy but allot of energy is needed to make a fireball burn white. That's the hottest stage of the game."

"Exactly," Killian agreed, "but she wielded it like it didn't even take her a minute of concentration. She looked bored, Emma."

"Hold on," an idea suddenly occurred to her, "What did she call him?"

A smile dared to grace Killian's gorgeous lips. He visibly calmed from the stress he was under. His breathing began to stabilize. His palm wasn't even as sweaty.

"Rothbart," he said, "Now I'm unfamiliar with whom this bloke is but I'm betting someone in town knows him and if they do we can-"

"I know him."

Emma would have been more concerned by Killian's face if she wasn't so confused herself. A slight pressure kept pounding down on the right side of her head. The moment that stupid name escaped his lips it became rather insistent. But Emma Swan's gut was telling her there was far more than that to the tale.

She couldn't remember how. She barely even knew why the name sent chills up her spine. But she did recognize the name from one of her favorite fairy tales. And she just knew that her hatred of Robert Rothman stemmed from something more than just his increasingly odd behavior. So she was going to have to take a page from Henry's book and believe.

"Rothbart is the bad guy in the tale of Swan Lake," she explained, "and if Odette Loche's name is anything to go by… I think I know exactly which story she's a part of."

"Swan Lake," Killian said, "Isn't that the one with the needless dancing and the jumping?"

Emma simply nodded. It was too difficult to explain a ballet to him. He barely understood how to operate a toaster. But if her theory was correct then they were dealing with a situation they never before expected.

"Odette said she tried to tell us about a curse. And she mentioned it again during her meeting with Rothman. Killian, what if she's right? What if the missing children aren't the curse we're looking for? What if it's something far worse?"

Killian's gorgeous lips turned into a deep frown. His ocean blue eyes turned to cloudy grey steel. His right hand began to tighten its hold on her. His jaw worked from right to left and back again.

"What could be worse than missing children, love?" He asked.

Emma swallowed. Her mind once again flashed back to Henry's book. The final page had been quite clear. The magical clouds and the very scene depicted something that could only come from the future. But it could only be the future if it hadn't happened yet.

If the image was right they had somehow returned to the Enchanted Forest or they were going to. The picture didn't show Henry or her mother. It didn't even show Roland or any of the Merry Men. There were too many factors to consider.

There was, however, one certainty. If the girl was right and she and the thief had been trying to tell them all along. Then there was only one curse they could be talking about.

"The Dark Curse," Emma said.

Killian looked far less frightened than she thought he would. He wasn't even surprised. No the deputy just closed his eyes in silent acceptance. His head nodded once, then twice. His ocean eyes opened and revealed a depth of concern.

"What do we do?" He asked.

There was only one thing they could do. They needed answers. There was no way they could get that without talking to the girl. Unfortunately it meant Rothman would be onto them soon. If he was the true villain of this story, he was too dangerous to leave unchecked.

"Find Odette," Emma said, "and get some answers."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin Hood was pacing. He couldn't help it nor could he stop if he wanted to. His entire body felt on fire. Every muscle pulsed with magic. He had already set fire to the furniture five times. The only place he could find even a sample of peace was Regina's home office and that caused a whole different perspective of problems.

He felt groggy. He knew he was tired. He hadn't slept since this whole thing began two blasted days ago. He could barely think straight and his heart kept hammering in his chest.

A popping sound stopped his aching feet. The smell of burnt oak filled his lungs. There was a thick fog in the air. Some bizarre siren began screaming overhead. He turned to his right only to discover Regina's precious desk was on fire.

 _Shit,_ he thought.

He quickly raised his hands and concentrated. He imagined the flames dying down exactly as Emma had taught him. He could even feel the slight tug in his heart that said his magic was beginning to show. He closed his eyes to better focus his energy on destroying the flames.

 _He was in a cavern. It was cold and damp. His belly ached and his throat itched unbearably. He reached towards the bowl of water, ready to give in and worship its cool ambrosia with his tongue. But a warm hand engulfed his wrist. Red hair filled his vision. Then a familiar voice filled his ears._

 _"It's poisoned, Regina," the Wicked Witch said, "Don't."_

The siren screamed louder. Something heavy slammed into the side of his head. His skull burned with the ever growing blue flames.

Robin frowned.

Emma and Snow were there. Snow was using one of those red basins that held white foam in their depths. She poured it onto the burning wood with all her might, attempting to starve the flames off that way. Her daughter merely whipped her blonde hair out of her eyes and waved her hands. She too closed her eyes in concentration, but the flames obeyed her. The disappeared just as quickly as they had come.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma asked.

Her green eyes were blown wide with concern but Robin felt the impulse to destroy. His right hand shot out before he could even comprehend it. An electric blue light burst forth, lightning streaking from his fingertips. It slammed into the savior's chest and forced her out the window.

Snow called out for her daughter and then her concerned green eyed gaze fell on him. She stepped towards him, arms raised to show she meant no harm. Still rage seemed to boil from everywhere. Robin watched as his magic threatened to overtake him. Sparks flared to life in his palms.

Two hands suddenly latched onto his own. The sparks died down and the rage stopped. The outlaw could feel his lungs expand and contract exactly as they were supposed to. The fog of his mind lifted. Henry stood before him, brown eyes soft with understanding.

"Mom did this once," he said.

The author pulled on Robin's hands until the lion tattoo was on full display. His right hand shot out and traced it in the same delicate pattern the queen had done millions of times. The blue light faded away. The outlaw's magic collapsed into itself once more. He could no longer do any harm.

Robin's legs gave out next. His knees slammed into the hardwood floors and his bottom flared with pain at the contact. Henry somehow released his hands and the outlaw found himself surprisingly grateful. His head fell between his knees. A few deep breaths and his world wasn't swimming anymore.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

The outlaw looked up apology on his tongue. The savior frowned in deep thought before shaking her head and shrugging. She crouched down low so they were eyes to eye. Then she released a soft smile that had Robin wanting to drown himself in whiskey.

"I closed my eyes like you taught me," he said, "and I tried to focus on Regina…"

He swallowed back the bile that wanted to rise from his throat. He could barely breathe. Words suddenly escaped him. He took in a calming breath and parted his lips to speak.

The doorbell rang as his saving grace.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Finding the girl proved surprisingly simple. They didn't even have to start their search. They merely went to Granny's to grab their usual cup of coffee and that annoying yellow bug was already parked out front for all to see.

The yelling should not have been a surprise. The girl was new to town. Her camping partner was once again behind bars. Her camp was now a crime scene and everybody suspecting her of at least assisting in two beloved citizens' deaths.

So Killian Jones and Emma Swan should not have been shocked to find the girl screaming her head off at Granny.

"Look I can pay triple the usual rate," Odette said, "I will even take the most expensive room. I just need somewhere to stay for the next few days."

"Try the jailhouse hotel," Granny replied, "I'm not allowed to host convicted felons or their accomplices. You're barking up the wrong tree, hun."

The old woman didn't even bat an eye at the spiteful girl's snarl. She simply picked up her tray of dishes and stalked off to the back. Leroy and his brothers chuckled. Odette spun an evil glare their way and the seven heads spun away in fright.

"He didn't kill those people!" Odette shouted for good measure.

No one believed her.

The girl huffed, stomping her booted foot in the process. Her familiar blue jeans were back on and her green jacket seemed glued to her shoulders. Her raven pony tail flickered back and forth as she stomped off to the bathroom. She even growled at a few innocent bystanders as they watched her pass.

 _Well,_ Emma thought, _she clearly has a temper._

It wasn't her first observation about the girl either. Odette Loche seemed icy to all who dared look her way. She held the same regal authority all royals of the Enchanted Forest seemed to possess. But her snarky comments and quick wit only seemed to intensify the more people gawked and stared.

It was a coping mechanism Emma was far too familiar with.

The sheriff sat upon her favorite stool without a second thought. She just nodded her head when Granny asked about her usual order. Then she merely waited for the girl's bright blue eyes to find her.

It didn't take as long as she thought it would.

"You're in my seat," Odette said.

Emma grinned. She turned towards the girl, huffing and puffing out her chest. The sheriff had to stifle back a bubble of laughter. The Princess Odette looked more like a two-year-old child seconds away from a tantrum. But her pouting lips turned into a vaguely familiar scowl. She plopped on the stool beside her and watched as Granny returned with her order.

"Only customers are allowed to sit there," Granny said.

Odette rolled her eyes. She grumbled out a few choice words and calmly fought not to bite her fingernails. Instead she glowered at the cook and ordered.

"Water," she said, "With lemon, please."

"Lemon costs extra," Granny replied.

The cook disappeared before she could hear the girl's unpleasant retort. It involved quite colorful language for a royal like her but Emma wasn't one to judge. She was, after all, a royal herself and far more unusual than any other ever seen.

So she promptly ignored the girl's grumbling in favor of her new usual dish. She took up her fork and carved into the layers of pasta and meat. The lasagna flaked off in the perfect portion. It came to the sheriff's lips without missing a drop of cheese. Emma Swan wrapped her mouth around the delicious lasagna and chewed.

Her fork lowered in disappointment.

"It can't be that bad."

Granny stared at her with a stern glare. The old woman had delivered Odette's water and continued to watch the sheriff with narrowed eyes. Her half-moon glasses shimmered as she pointedly looked between the slice of perfect lasagna and Emma's discarded fork.

"No," Emma was quick to reply, "It's not horrible at all it's just…"

"Not the same," Granny finished.

She didn't even wait for Emma to reply. She just scooped up the uneaten lasagna, threw it into the trash under the counter and breezed into the back. She reappeared moments later with a fresh grilled cheese. The old woman only gave a wink before she left to help her other customers.

"You eat like a child," Odette said.

Emma's green eyes turned a steady glare the girl's way. She didn't even have the decency to look chastened. Odette Loche just returned the glare with a stunning one of her own. Then she rolled her eyes, shook her head and dared to flag down Ruby with an order of her own.

"Caesar Salad," she said, "dressing on the side, light cheese and grilled chicken, please."

Ruby, like her grandmother, rolled her eyes and swiftly moved to place the order. It was no surprise that she did not return to the counter. Instead the waitress went to talk to her beloved Dorothy Gale. The two shared a chaste kiss before Granny was calling the waitress back to do her job.

"That never gets old," Odette said.

Emma turned to see blue eyes staring at her knowingly. The sheriff quirked an eyebrow before a soft smile dared to appeared on the girl's features. She pointed her head in the direction of Dorothy's bout of uncontained giggles at Ruby's antics. She looked almost as serene as the smitten woman in the corner.

"So, Sheriff Swan," Odette said, "What do you want?"

At Emma's confused look the girl was quick to elaborate.

"You and your pirate deputy boy toy entered with something more than food in mind," Odette said, "Neither one of your eyes have looked anywhere but at me. Sure the whole town can't help but take in my wonderful good looks but you two… You're up to something."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously before a new, playful gleam appeared in her eyes.

"I'm guessing you're here to talk about my involvement in the murder… or the curse."

The last was said in a very careful whisper and with it the playful gleam was gone. She looked startlingly vulnerable. All hope seeped away from her face in a single breath. Her blue eyes darkened along with a piece of Emma's soul.

"Both," Emma replied her voice just as shockingly quiet.

She saw a little of that familiar spark returning to the girl's eyes. Odette played if off masterfully but even she couldn't bite away the small upward tilt of her lips. Killian, naturally, chose that moment to whip around and make himself known.

"Might I suggest a romantic walk on the beach, love," he said, "It's been a while since I've felt the sea breeze through my hair. It could possibly do you some good as well, princess. Murder does tend to prick unwanted ears."

The girl received the hint with nothing more than a slight upward tilt of her left eyebrow. She calmly asked for a container for all three lunches and three drinks for the road as well. Then she slapped a casual fifty on the table and told Ruby to keep the change.

"Lead the way, Deputy Jones," Odette said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Majesty?"

The little voice flittered through the hallway just as the adults reached the foyer. Roland held the door open wide, curls bouncing as he stretched on tiptoes to locate the queen. Charming and Hook were ushered in by Little John. The three men towered over the small child, rubbing his head with affection. Roland looked at all three men with a deep frown.

"Where's Regina?" he asked.

The question should have been rhetorical. He was supposed to ask then she was meant to appear. She should have entered in a whirlwind of hugs and kisses. Roland should have already been entombed in her arms and clinging to her neck like a lifeline. The queen should have been making a beeline for her son, haunting Henry with kisses and soothing words. Then she would have her arms wrapped around Robin and telling him everything he already knew.

There was no need for guilt that he couldn't rescue her. He had children to look after. His rage was barely contained on the best of days. He couldn't rescue her with his head filled with so much worry and doubt. His magic was out of control as proved just minutes ago. He was a much better asset at home then in search of her.

Robin Hood took a deep, careful breath to calm himself.

"Did he hurt her?" Robin asked.

It was logical. They were nearing three full days of capture. It wasn't unreasonable for her to be ill. Robin had spent many days recuperating at various temples after only a few hours of torture on his worst days. Surely Regina would be under Doctor Whale's care if she wasn't home.

"We should go now," he declared.

The outlaw grabbed the closet duffle bag he could find. He filled it with diapers and bottles, nappies and cloths. He even remembered to pack Roland a spare change of clothes in case his sister spit upon him again. All he needed was Mr. Monkey, Cora's favorite jumper and Henry's book and they would be more than ready to leave.

"Hang on mate."

The pirate put his hand on the outlaw. He just grabbed his arm and gave him quite the sympathetic look. There was too much care in that ocean blue gaze, too much fear.

Rage, red hot and burning filled Robin then. He slammed his right arm into the pirate's chest, pushing him away in disgust. The duffle bag fell to the floor. His left arm swung forward, caught on the shoulder before damage could be done.

Vaguely, Robin was aware of his right arm equally restrained.

"Easy," Charming said, "She's not dead. We saw her."

Robin felt everything release. His bottom hit the floor. His breathing refused to cooperate. He felt his whole world spin and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He couldn't even sooth Roland's tears or Cora's cries. Both of his children kept crying out and it was all his fault.

"It was a trick," charming explained, "Whatever his plans… He wanted us to follow the false trail for a reason."

"We'll find her mate," Hook said.

Find her. Robin could count the number of times he was told that as easily as the stars in the sky. It was innumerable the hope flashing before his eyes. Nobody understood the truth. Hope was a fallacy. Regina knew that. She only ever promised him that she would try. How could he continue to live in a world with hope without her?

"No," he said.

He was stunned to find such anger in his voice. He had no room for that. Emotion was impossible when paired with the loss of his second chance. So how was he able to be angry?

"I should have known," he said, "She's always going on about you idiots being absolutely useless-"

"Robin!"

Little John's voice was another stab in the veins. The outlaw shot him a disgusted look. He watched the bigger man cower, silently enjoying the strike of fear he created. He felt the evil smile burst upon his face.

Is this how Regina felt when becoming the Evil Queen? He wondered.

"Robin, please."

Snow White came into view. Her hands shot towards his own. She held them in her fingers and gave a careful squeeze. Her green eyes were soft and pleading.

"Don't give up hope," she said.

He tried to tug his hand away but found the energy lacking. Instead he found himself leaning into her caring gaze. Despite himself he listened to her words and soothing speech of hope.

"We're going to find her, Robin," Snow said, "You just have to wait a little longer."

"I'm tired of waited!"

Robin shouted and kept on shouting for no reason at all.

"I'm bringing her home and I'm bringing her now!"

He left, his children and his home, in a thundering huff. He didn't even care if someone followed. He just knew that too much time was wasted. So he ignored the screams of his son and the cries of his daughter. He ignored Snow and Charming's shouts to return. He just kept walking and fighting back the prickling of his eye balls.

"Robin wait!"

The outlaw ignored her too. He refused to even acknowledge the savior scrambling to catch up. He just kept walking in some destination. He didn't even know where, only that his heart would lead him to Regina.

"Where are you going?"

"The vault."

He was stunned by his own reply. His feet stopped walking and he just stood there in contemplation. There was no reason for him to go there. Regina's vault was where she stored her magic and her hearts. He had no business or enough knowledge to properly search the place. He had only ever been to ensure the queen provided herself with rest and nourishment.

And other things not appropriate for children.

Besides Regina had sealed it with blood magic the day Roland decided to explore it. She had been nearly devastated when she discovered him playing with one of her enchanted hearts. The poor boy cried for days because she couldn't face him, knowing just how evil she was even if he had no concept of the truth. How would he get in without her blood to open it? And what if Zelena showed herself?

"I'm coming with you."

He swung around to argue, words prepared to flow from his tongue. But Emma Swan's eyes were red and bloodshot. Her cheeks held a pink glow. It was then he became aware of the stains on her shirt. Her blonde locks looked just as greasy as his own. They lacked their usual luster. She too was suffering.

"Okay," he said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian was right. The breeze pulling off the harbor was perfect. It was just chilly enough to be unbearable to most of Storybrooke's residents but warm enough for the three to be comfortable. They avoided the ships for fear of tipping their hand too soon.

Emma made certain to get to the murder first and foremost. She wanted whomever cast the curse to believe they were still under it. It would have been stupid to do anything else.

"We don't think Ryder Wood is responsible for the murders," Emma said.

She watched the girl visibly relax. A small sigh of relief fell from her lips. Odette couldn't contain the happy grin from spreading cheek to cheek.

"Good," she said, "When will he be released?"

"That's the problem, love," Killian said, "He can't."

The shadows on her features pulled at Emma's heart. Odette's blue eyes revealed her own disappointment. Her feet began to shuffle awkwardly upon the sidewalk. She bit her bottom lip the exact way Killian always did before speaking next.

"Why?"

"Because even though we believe that he's innocent," Emma said, "and that the real killer is probably setting him up… The evidence suggests otherwise."

"So you have to prove it's a cover-up before you can let him go," Odette nodded clearly following their line of thought.

Emma felt bad for the girl. She knew exactly what it was like to see someone you cared about charged for a crime they didn't commit. Ironically enough the sheriff's own mother was charged for Kathryn's death her first year in Storybrooke.

Of course at the time Emma didn't know she was fighting for her own mother. But she did know that it was Regina who set her up. She just didn't believe Henry's storybook or even that Mary-Margaret Blanchard was really her mother. If she had the curse would have been broken that much sooner.

"Listen," Emma said, "I know that you're concerned for your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"But we need you to be completely honest with us," Emma continued, "Any information you give us will help solve the crime and help us find the killer, the real killer. Speaking from personal experience whoever cursed us probably committed the murder. Nothing you say is useless information."

Odette simply nodded in understanding. Her blue eyes rolled a bit in her head and Emma watched her lips move. She struggled to hear the silent words leaking from the girl's lips. Then when that wasn't enough, the sheriff had to squint her eyes to try and read them.

"You're doing it again."

Emma blinked. Odette's expression was now exuded frustration. Her blue eyes rolled and her right foot stomped. Then she closed her eyes and did a visible count to calm herself. When blue eyes appeared again, it was with acceptance.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" She asked.

Emma was floored. The girl was actually trying to talk to her. She could have sworn those words were simply some quiet expletives that weren't meant for human ears.

"What?" the sheriff asked.

The girl's eyes rolled again. Emma silently wondered if she did it often enough for them to roll completely out of her head. Then she forced her mind and her ears to pay attention. Not a single word uttered was understood.

"What the hell is going on?" Emma asked.

"Exactly," Odette screeched, "I've been trying to tell you everything and you can't hear it. It's not fair. How am I supposed to break the curse if I can't even discuss it?"

Emma blinked.

"You're supposed to break the curse?" She asked.

Odette's blue eyes widened. A bright, beaming smile lit up her face. She nearly jumped in glee.

"You heard that," she said, "and you mentioned the curse before. Do you know which one? Maybe the curse is weakening."

"It's the Dark Curse," Killian said, "The one this Rothbart cast?"

Odette's beaming smile somehow grew blinding. This time she did a small jump of excitement. Her hands clapped together in an odd mimicry of Mary-Margaret Blanchard herself. Then blue eyes went wide and she quickly composed herself. She nervously looked left and right before leaning forward, voice as soft as a whisper on the wind.

"You know Rothbart?" She said.

Killian shook his head. Emma shrugged her shoulders. Both looked to the other for an answer. Then the sheriff swallowed a thick lump of emotion and attempted to explain.

"I only know the story," she said, "It's Swan Lake, right?"

Odette's forehead creased in concentration. Her blue eyes dulled as thought took over. A bright glint appeared in those bright blue eyes and she hastily replied.

"That's the one with the jumping and the twirling with the giant mouse heads, right?"

Emma couldn't stop herself from face-palming. She closed her eyes against the impending headache. A deep intake of breath allowed her emotions to calm. Unfortunately keeping the frustration out of her voice was a battle she could not win.

"It's about the queen of the swans," she began.

"Oh," Odette nodded, "That was my grandmother. She died when my father was very young. I don't really know much about her. He never talks about his parents all that much… One of his knights did tell me that he killed his father once. I don't know if that's true though. They also say the leader of the Musketeers used to be the Captain of the Evil Queen's Black Guard but he's too much of a softy…"

The girl trailed off, color flushing her cheeks. Her head bowed down in soft contemplation. For a moment it was as though Emma was looking into a mirror.

 _Oh my God_ , Emma thought, _her eyes are similar to Killian's and so is her hair. He can't possibly want to help her because…_

But he did. Emma Swan knew that like she knew the back of her hand, better even. Her deputy was quick to run to her instead of call. He wanted to discuss the girl face to face and the incident in the woods definitely sounded familiar.

"Killian," Emma said, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Judging the deputy's terrified face, Emma knew he was aware of the trouble he was about to find. He flinched his ocean blue gaze and was slow to follow her away. He bowed his head in a way that made Emma scoff the girl left behind. She also wanted to throttle him because the dots were connecting at far too quick a pace.

"You think she's our daughter," the sheriff growled.

Killian flinched again. He shrugged his shoulders in a non-committal gesture. Then he ever so gently nodded his head. His gaze turned to the confused young woman standing by the water's edge. Emma found herself follow his line of sight.

Odette was respectively bickering to herself. Her arms were animatedly moving up and down in an energetic spiral. A few distant words fluttered towards them on the wind, words like: "bloody curse" and "stupid, stupid, stupid", "ridiculous", "you were told to keep a low profile", "Mother is going to kill me when she finds out… if she finds out", "Oh stop it Odette it's not like you can't beat this curse".

The rest of her self-deprecation disappeared with the shifting wind. She struggled to regain composure. Her young face turned snow white when she caught a glimpse of the older couple staring at her. She shyly raised her right hand and gave a wave before turning away, pretending they couldn't see her berate herself again.

"You can't tell me that doesn't look like you or your mother," Killian replied.

Emma had to admit he did have a point. But he was forgetting two other people who reacted that way, and only one of them was related by blood.

"Regina and Henry do that too," she said.

Killian's left eyebrow only raised to his hairline in reply. He gave her a self-satisfied grin. Then he pointed his hook in her direction and nodded. Sure enough, Odette was still talking herself down from her nervous high.

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Olive skin," she replied.

"She told Rothman that her parents always find each other," was his.

Emma felt the blood rush from her face. A deep breath refused to come. She could barely organize her thoughts in a complete sentence. Soon she found herself once again gazing at the young woman who was now staring transfixed at the harbor. The wind whipped her hair in a very familiar way.

 _If I didn't know any better_ , Emma thought.

But she did know better and that was out of the question. So with a big shrug and firm glare to imply that no further discussion was needed, the sheriff returned to the nervous girl named Odette Loche. Her olive cheeks flushed a bright red and her bright blue eyes filled with a mischievous gleam.

"If we're going to prove your boyfriend's innocence-"

"He's not my boyfriend."

Killian rolled his eyes.

"Boyfriend, lover, friend you sleep with upon occasion, whatever you call him doesn't matter…"

"I don't sleep with him! What the hell is wrong with you?"

And Emma couldn't help but note how similar that was to all the women in their bizarre family tree.

"Fine," Killian said, "What is he to you?"

Odette's dirty look was comical to behold. Her red lips puckered. Her blue eyes narrowed to deadly slits. Her chest heaved up and down in angry dismay. Her hands glued themselves to her hips. Her petulant right foot tapped slowly upon the ground.

"He's my brother," she said.

Emma felt her lungs take in more air than intended. She began to choke on the sudden influx of too much oxygen and too many emotions. Tears prickled her eyes and she fought hard to keep them at bay. But that ugly moment of hope flared in her chest and refused to let go.

"We need to get him out of there," Killian replied.

His voice carried hope too. The sheriff found herself staring at him with a smile that refused to disappear. Her fingers sought out his without permission. Their hands clung tightly together, refusing to be parted ever again.

"But how?" Odette asked.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The vault was located under Regina's family vault. Its imposing gray columns appeared first and foremost. Then the stairs that looked dusty and unused even after only a week of no one visiting. The dark door with its chambers seemed to glow brighter the closer they step.

"Do you feel that?" Emma asked.

Robin wasn't certain what she was talking about. He stepped closer and closer until his toe almost touched the steps. He stepped back suddenly aware of the loud buzzing in the air. He turned to observe Emma several feet away, looking antsy and very uncomfortable.

"Can you feel it?" Emma asked.

Robin frowned. He could hear the buzzing but he was positive that wasn't what she was talking about. He stepped towards her, hoping her perspective would lead him to understand. Instead the buzzing merely increased in volume becoming a giant loud mass of reverberating noise. His hands shot to his ears to snuff the sound out.

"Focus Robin," Emma said.

She pulled his hands away and held on tight. Her green eyes connected with his own. She nodded her head, silently begging him to focus on his other senses for a change. The feeling of her awfully sweaty palms faded away. There was something else, something familiar.

Robin Hood turned towards the source of magic in the air. He felt a great warmth envelope his body. His heart beat excitedly. It felt like fresh flames licking at his skin. Pain was not their objective, only love. They licked every inch of skin and provided a sense of comfort never to be rivaled.

His nose picked up the sweet scent of apples. It floated through the air and wrapped around his every thought. The outlaw closed his eyes, happily taking in the feel of safety and home. His thoughts, as always, went to Regina.

 _His belly ached. It felt as though it were eating itself due to lack of food and options. His throat felt on fire too. His mouth was drier than any desert. His tongue was now far too big for his mouth._

 _Something hard kept hammering away at his head. He could feel it right between the eyes making his vision fussy around the edges. His brain was beating itself against his skull and there was nothing the outlaw could do to stop it._

 _Another wave of dizziness hit him. His eyes drooped closed before popping back open. He had to stay awake. Everything felt on fire. For such a cold, dark cave it sure felt like he was under the sun's rays at its hottest hour._

 _A fresh bowl of water lay before him. He watched it glistened a gleam in the low firelight. It was beckoning to him, calling out for him to take a sip. It wanted him to give in to his thirst and just drink up._

 _His hands shook as he reached towards the oasis. He watched the water swish and slosh as his shaking hands tried to raise the water bowl through the air. His hungry lips parted ways to relinquish control to the water's amazing depths._

 _No, he thought in a voice strangely sounding exactly like Regina's, don't. Zelena said no. Poisoned water. Bad water. Don't drink._

 _He threw the bowl away and watched it shatter into pieces. There wasn't even enough energy to smile at the destruction. He was forced to watch as the stupid bowl pulled itself back together and refilled with new, enticing water._

 _"You will drink," Rothbart said, "You have no choice. Every mare can be broken. Even the spirited ones."_

 _The outlaw felt his dry, cracked burning lips part into a sardonic smile._

 _I wouldn't dream of it, Regina thought._

Robin gasped. His fingers left Emma's safe embrace. He rushed to gain as much space as possible. Something hot and violent rose from his throat. It spewed forth from his lips and sloshed onto the ground below.

"Robin, what happened?" Emma asked.

The outlaw rolled his eyes and unleashed a new bout of bile. The savior always asked him that. She always needed to know what was going on. As if she didn't already know. His whole world was at Rothbart's disposal and he…

He just saw her.

Robin felt his body lift up. His body stood ramrod straight. The buzzing returned to his ears. The fiery magic surrounding Regina's vault called out to him. He turned in its direction in surprise.

"I…" he choked, "I saw her."

Emma's green eyes were now blocking his vision. Her forehead was almost beating into his own. He could feel her eagerness bouncing in the confined centimeters between them.

"Who?" She asked, "Who did you see, Robin?"

The answer couldn't help but put a small smile on his face.

"Regina," he said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Who owns this place?"

Odette sounded absolutely appalled by what she saw. Emma couldn't exactly understand why. The farmhouse wasn't that bad. It wasn't moldy or full of birds of various shapes and sizes. It didn't require allot of work, at all to make it livable. Hell it wasn't even falling apart like the vast majority of houses Emma saw growing up.

"The Wicked Witch," Emma replied.

The girl's blue eyes blew wide. She stopped moving and continued to stare at the farmhouse in some bizarre mix of horror and curiosity. She stepped back towards the truck. The sheriff stopped moving and observed the strange look on her features.

 _Right,_ Emma thought, _Zelena might be a horror story to her… or a villain. Poor Regina._

"Um," Emma said, "Are you okay?"

"Why would the wicked witch help Rothbart?" Odette asked.

The girl continued to step away from the house. She backed away as if the magic burned her. Emma could understand the reaction. It wasn't exactly weird for her to consider Zelena a villain. The woman had been trying but she had only decided to be good after meeting her mother, who was heartless enough to force her youngest daughter into marrying the same king who spurned her.

"I'm not sure," Emma said, "But it's not exactly like it would hurt to look. Rothman, er… Rothbart I guess was interested in the property the last time we were here."

Odette's demeanor flipped like a switch. She stepped towards the farmhouse with interest. She even gave a startled smile as she walked forward.

"You think he's trying to set her up?" Odette said.

There was so much hope in her voice Emma felt a twinge of… something. There was no name for the emotion quite yet. She just knew she wanted to keep the girl as happy as possible. A deep sense of longing was beating at the sheriff's chest.

 _Careful Swan_ , Emma chastened, _this is exactly why you left Killian at the station._

It wasn't the only reason. David had sent a text about needing to return to the apartment. He didn't explain why only that he couldn't watch the prisoner. So Emma sent her best deputy over to watch the thief. It wasn't a punishment as her boyfriend probably thought it to be. Killian Jones was just the only person she could trust not now that they thought Robert Rothman was behind this possible new curse.

"So the Wicked Witch owned this?"

The girl interrupted Emma's thoughts with ease. She now looked almost excited to be exploring the shabby farmhouse. The sheriff found herself once again puzzling just how well she knew this Odette Loche. The way she kept dodging questions was certainly familiar.

"Yeah," Emma replied, "She got this when the second curse appeared. She abandoned it when she moved in with her sister…"

"The queen," Odette nodded.

The sheriff's heart dropped for completely different reasons. An odd sense of pride began in her heart. The girl talked about Regina as if she wasn't the terrifying monarch of old. It brought an odd, calming sense of hope to Emma Swan's chest. Perhaps she would get to keep her friend after all.

"So the thief's your brother, huh?" Emma began.

The girl flinched but nodded her head. She led the way to the farmhouse as if familiar with the surroundings. She even opened the door without fear of repercussions.

Emma smiled. She knew exactly where the girl learned her avoidance techniques. Every single female in the Charming family tree did.

"Why don't you guys have the same last name?" She asked with a grin.

Odette turned around with an odd look on her face. Her bright blue eyes were narrowed in deep confusion. Her petulant lips puckered in distaste. Her eyebrows drooped into an impressive 'v'.

"You know Ryder Wood isn't his real name," the girl said, "He did that to protect us. If somebody knew he was my brother they would use that against him… or they would try to hurt me through him. It was a tactical decision."

Emma understood that. She nodded her head right along and didn't even bother to question it further. The girl agreed that the thief's name was a fake. Perhaps she would be willing to share a bit more.

"Your parents," the sheriff said, "If you're a princess… they would have to be a king and queen."

Odette rolled her eyes. She heaved a great sigh. Then she proceeded to absorb her interest into observing every crevice and minor inch of the witch's dining room table.

"Obviously," she said.

Emma chuckled at the breathy huff of indignity. The girl was only serving to further Killian's theory. Every action she made reminded the sheriff of at least half the family members in Storybrooke. She could only imagine what constant exposure would reveal. So she took a gamble and asked for further divulgence.

"I'm technically a princess too," she said, "Perhaps in the time I can't remember I knew them?"

Odette's eyes rolled again. She unleashed a rather rude sigh and a string of vulgar words. From her words Emma gathered a rough growl that sounded extremely like David Nolan. The breathy sigh even mimicked him as well.

Emma chuckled despite herself.

"Perhaps we're even friends?"

"I don't know," the girl replied, "I don't know what you remember so I can't tell you if my parents are royals you know or not. It's not like they were born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths… at least I don't think so."

Her face scrunched up the way Henry's did when he was thinking too much. It was a trait inherited from Regina and later adopted by both Loxley men when they came into the picture. Mary-Margaret even swore Cora was adopting the look, her little nose scrunching whenever she observed something for far longer than normal.

"Well why don't you tell me about them so I can better help-"

"Shouldn't we be searching for proof of my brother's innocence?" Odette interrupted.

"Okay," Emma said, "Let's start looking."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The vault was unreasonably warm. Even in the heart of summer it should not have been this hot. Robin was already stripped down to his t-shirt and considering ridding himself of the shirt altogether. Emma's pink cheeks signaled she had more than noticed.

"Put some clothes on," she said, "It's practically freezing down here and you're acting like it's a sauna."

She paused when she noticed the look on his face. Her green eyes rolled to the back of her head. She heaved a great sigh of impatience and pulled her red jacket closer.

"It's a steam bath," she said, "No water just steam and in a small room like a… you know what never mind. How did you see Regina?"

Robin shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know," he said, "I just closed my eyes and thought of her."

It was the most vexing situation he had ever encountered. The love of his life, his bloody soulmate, was just within his grasp. He could practically feel her under his skin he was so close. But he couldn't find her and it was killing him.

Sweat once again trickled down his spine. Robin decided to get rid of the t-shirt. He pulled it off and tossed it aside, knocking a drapery to the ground. It revealed an immaculately made mirror. It was the sun and its reflective surface carried an image far less pleasant than the outlaw and savior's reflection.

The face held eyes blacker than the night itself. A chiseled chin was decorated with black hair elegantly shaved so that it resembled a crown. The nose was slightly crooked, as though it had been broken a few times in youth. But it was the horrible scar that cut directly through his left eye that truly gave him away.

"Rothbart," Emma growled.

The savior had sparks of flame flickering her fingertips. She raced to stand directly by the outlaw's side. Her blonde locks viciously hid their enemy away. Robin had to pull her back just to see the hateful man's face.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Rothbart asked, "I know how precious alone time with a would-be-king can be. Is the savior now vying for your affections? I'm certain the prospect of becoming queen would be flattering to her, but I'm off the market."

Robin's blood boiled.

"Yuck," Emma said, "Robin's not my type."

"She prefers devilishly handsome pirates."

Robin and Emma turned to one in stunned disbelief. Together they watched as Captain Hook descended the vault's elegant stairs. He stood before the mirror, his hook gleaming dangerously.

"Ah," Rothbart said, "The pirate in question. How was your journey into the cliffs? Regina told me you weren't pleased with her little show."

Hook's jaw worked itself into a frenzy. His right hand moved to sharpen his hook. A cheeky grin and quick quirk of the eyebrow began to dawn his face.

"I've got a few improvements I would like to discuss with you," Hook said, "be happy to discuss without the safety of that magicked glass any time."

Rothbart didn't even look fazed. He simply rolled his black eyes and turned to glower at Robin. The outlaw stepped forward, his spine straight and his muscles bristling. He felt his fingertips burn with pent up rage. By the smell of burning cloth, he clearly wasn't keeping the flames in well.

"What do you want you villain?" Robin asked.

"It's simple really," Rothbart smiled, "I want what is rightfully mine."

"You're fight is with me, Rothbart. Let her go!"

Robin saw her. It was barely a glimpse and Rothbart's atrocious features filled much too much of the mirror's surface. But he could see her raven hair in the distance. He knew if only because he would recognize those wild curls anywhere.

"Indeed," Rothbart said, "I'm tired of her endless suffering at your hands!"

Robin saw red. What happened next he could never be certain. He only knew that his vision became nothing but red hot flames and when he blinked the entire vault was on fire. Emma and Hook both worked to rid the place of the flames and Robin could only sneer at his enemy. His two hands rose through the air. He brought them down without once breaking eye contact with his enemy. The fire died and all was restored.

"Impressive," Rothbart said, "You fixed a tantrum. You have shown me the error of my ways and now I know for certain that you truly deserve to be king of my kingdom!"

Once the raging breath left the enemy's lungs, Rothbart's face contorted into another sleazy grin. His black eyes turned blue with glee. His spine straightened ever so slightly. The pronounced scar on his left eye faded slightly.

"I propose a meet," Rothbart said, "A negotiation of your surrender. You give me what I want and I'm certain we can come to some agreement. Somewhere where eager ears won't be keen to listen."

"No Robin," Hook said, "Regina said-"

Robin interrupted the pirate without a second thought.

"Where?"

"Where else?" Rothbart said, "Our beloved queen's apple tree. Come alone."

The image of his face disappeared before Robin could even hope to reply. Instead he got one last look at his beautiful queen. She was leaning heavily against a cavern wall. Her brown eyes were glazed and sweat trickled down her flushed olive cheeks. Then the image died before more could be observed.

The impenetrable silence of the vault filled everything. Robin could feel his mind refusing to move beyond the last image seen. His queen looked in pain. Her whole body was shaking. He couldn't tell but she looked too weak to stand on her own. The gleam of defiance had died in her eyes.

"You can't do this, mate."

Naturally it would be the pirate to interrupt the suffocating silence.

"Regina was very specific to the prince and me," Hook said, "There will be no parlay. David didn't understand it at the time but I did and I am telling you now. You cannot do this. She's… You can't… True Love is sacrifice, remember?"

Robin was not the only one who winced at that wicked reminder. Emma had flinched so bad she almost derailed Hook's desperation immediately. But the pirate was determined to finish this. He stepped forward to better connect with him.

"You can't let it be in vain!" Hook begged.

Robin was too enraged by the implication to connect the dots. Instead he was forced to witness the proverbial light bulb go off right over the savior's head. Her green eyes once again turned glassy with tears. She stepped forward with fear the only emotion playing on her features.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, "Killian, what do you mean by sacrifice? What is Regina sacrificing?"

 _Her heart._

The thought nearly put him to the ground, but Robin knew it was the truth. His beautiful, precious Regina was going to make the ultimate sacrifice. She was going to give herself for his freedom. Rothbart wanted her to be his queen, his proof of deserving the damn eternal crown. She was the true owner of the Crown of Immortality and should he marry her… he would finally be the unquestionable king.

"I have to go," Robin said.

Hook wanted to argue. He could see it on the pirate's face. It was probably why the man even bothered to come at all. He knew what lengths one would journey for True Love and revenge. Robin wouldn't stop until Regina was safe.

Rothbart wouldn't stop until Robin was dead.

"Aye," Hook agreed slowly, caution and defeat the only sounds in his voice, "But not alone. Swan and I will see it to the end. As we always have with you two."

Robin didn't bother to argue. He lacked the energy and he could barely grow the emotion to care. He simply sat down and wished for another way.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

It wasn't exactly a fruitful search. So far everything was coming up empty. Emma could feel the magic in the air and often wondered how anybody could even breathe with all the electricity going around. And it was so sticky sweet that it practically plugged the nostrils with its molasses stench.

The sheriff rolled her eyes and stifled her own dramatic sigh. Yet another search through the witch's cupboards and all she had to show for it was a bunch of dusty plates and broken glasses. Even Zelena's favorite mug had a crack in it from mouth to bottom right along the curved handle.

 _World's best Mom_ , Emma nearly laughed at the thought, _yeah if you give away your child because she doesn't love you as much as your little sister._

Sure she probably shouldn't have felt so bitter. She did after all give up her own son but that was to give him his best chance. And she didn't try to kill the person who adopted her child before and after he was born. Granted she probably would have if she had known the person who adopted him was Regina, the woman single-handedly responsible for twenty-eight years believing herself alone and an unloved orphan in the world.

But that was a long time ago and too many things had changed. The wicked witch seemed eager to be her mother's daughter in every way possible. Emma often wondered how the mayor could even forgive her such trespasses.

Of course, Mary-Margaret Blanche-Nolan was famous for doing the exact same thing to a certain former Evil Queen turned redeemed hero.

"You would think the queen's sister would be just as meticulously tidy," Odette said.

Emma snorted in response. Then the words caught up to her. Just as the sheriff was about to say something further, the girl decided to speak.

"What's the point in leaving so much dust?"

That was the ticket. The girl had a point. If you were going to frame somebody for murder, why hide any trace of them? It wasn't a very clever idea. Zelena was the perfect candidate for a cover-up. She lacked the discipline or the care to be delicate. She couldn't even hide her wicked plans without gloating about how much smarter than everybody else.

It was a very reliable Mills trait that one.

"I don't know," Emma said, "Maybe to make certain the evidence remained cold."

"Or," Odette said, "It was to hide something valuable in plain sight!"

The sheriff turned around to find the girl pointing at the dining room table. The layers of dust matched those belonging to the rest of the house. Even the carpet looked in need of a good vacuum.

But the legs of the table were a whole different matter entirely.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The Town Hall stood tall against the field of perfectly trimmed trees. Its hedges were expertly cut into precise squares. The flags mirrored each other in symmetrical design against pristine white columns. Three red doors stood out in stark contrast to the yellow paint of the exterior. It looked far more inviting on the outside, cheery and gay while the inside was dark and crisp.

The drive circled to the front with relative ease. Emma placed her yellow bug in park, parking brake deployed in case of unexpected travel. Hook handed him his bow and arrows. Green and ocean eyes turned to him with twin looks of argument.

"He said alone," Robin replied.

Both opened their mouths to argue but the outlaw merely closed the door upon them. He fastened his quiver to his shoulder. He looped his arm through his bow. His strides were determined as he ventured to his destination, behind the cheery yellow building.

Rothbart was already standing there, under Regina's tree. It was a gift from her father. One of many the outlaw knew her father was prone to spoil when he could. So it was incredibly insulting to see Lord Rothbart sitting on the queen's bench under the queen's tree holding one of the queen's apples in his palm.

Robin had to take a deep breath to steady his nerves.

"I see you can follow simple instructions," Rothbart said, "But you won't be needing those."

With a lazy wave of his right hand the bow and quiver were gone.

"Come," he said, "Sit. Let us talk like men."

"I prefer to stand and talk eye to eye like a real man," Robin replied.

The older man's face fell a bit. His plastered on smile vanished without a trace. His blue eyes flashed black for a moment. His voice was steel when next he spoke.

"Further proof how inappropriate you are for the throne. So much belief has been wasted in hoping for your return. My subjects will soon know their place. You won't have to worry about them for much longer."

"Your kingdom is not why I am here," Robin said, "I have no interest in your stupid crown nor the birthright to claim it. You can have it for all I care and shove it wherever you wish. I only care about one thing. Where is Regina?"

"Safe," Rothbart replied, "And so long as you wish for her you are a threat to my crown."

The sorcerer stood to his full height, head and eyes even with Robin's own. His blue eyes were now permanently black and his elongated scar stood out upon his face. He stepped forward with calculation. He was calmed and measured with every step.

"I must admit," Rothbart said, "I was surprised to see you… alive. I thought my men had rid me of you long ago. But alas, here you are and we are once again at war."

"I have no interest in war," Robin said, "I only want her…"

"And your children?" The sorcerer asked, "What of them? Would you want them to grow as you have… without their parents? To deny them the simple joys of growing up with a mother and father to love them and teach them the difference between what is right and what is wrong?"

Robin ground his teeth. The rage filled his every bone. His muscles tremored with the force of it. Nausea nearly forced its way up his throat as the worry twisted and turned his poor stomach. Somehow he managed to stifle his body's attack.

"I didn't think so," Rothbart said, "I can see you have tried to be better than your father. You have raised your children yourself. You haven't denied them. You don't want to see all of your hard work ground to dust where you stood."

"Watching them scream and beg for mercy I will be unable to give. To have me rip the very heart of the young boy barely in school who dares to call you Papa with his innocent grin. Or watch the wee babe struggle to breathe as I step onto her little chest and press down with all my might."

"Then there's the queen's child. I'm afraid of what I must do to him. He is but a young man and so well-behaved for his mother who raised him mostly by herself while you were off ransacking villages and raping the lands of your own kind. What if he were to stand with you… against me? My beloved queen would be devastated to see her precious son murdered by my hand."

"Enough!"

Robin couldn't breathe. The images the madman painted were too real, too frightening to behold. Even with Emma's magic protecting them, his children were doomed to a fate worse than death. Rothbart wouldn't stop until their lives were ruined. He would do everything he could to make certain he got his crown killing children didn't even faze him.

"What do you want me to do?" The outlaw asked.

The smile on the madman's lips stretched wide. It was not inviting nor would it ever be anything more than sinister and grotesque. It symbolized a great victory and Robin was powerless to stop it. For his children he would do anything and this man, this enemy from his past knew it all.

"You will go to your men," he said, "You will stand before them and denounce your claim on the royal line. You will state that you are not nor will you ever be the rightful heir of King William of Fantasia through his only child Odette Queen of the Swans and her union with King Richard the Lionheart."

"You will bid them to accept me as their true king and you will admit yourself a fool before the crowd. The crown is mine and you have no right to it. You will call yourself nothing more than a common criminal, a thief who dared set his sights far beyond his reach, a reach that exceeded well beyond the stars. You will admit all of this before the men who dare ask you to lead…"

"And you will admit that Queen Regina is not your soulmate but mine," Rothbart finished coolly.

Robin felt his heart shatter. A single tear fell from his right eye. It slid down his cheek and under his wavering chin. The rage from before was gone. All hope was gone.

"Do this," the madman said, "and your children will live."

What more could he say? There was nothing he could do. For Roland and Cora he would do anything and for Henry he would shatter the world.

"Deal."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma's first impulse was to think of every wonderful thing that happened in her light. She felt the nice tingle of warmth envelope her hands and wrists. Her fingertips flexed with the wonderful sensations of light magic.

Just as she was about to unleash a slew of her power, Odette's raven hair caught her eye. Large blue eyes begged her not to proceed. Her lips moved to form the word "magic". Emma felt her mind stutter with confusion.

The girl merely rolled her eyes.

"There are protection spells that warn a person of another witch's presence," she said.

The sheriff rolled her eyes this time. Of course that would be the girl's worry. Her magic fizzled away from her fingertips.

"Well how exactly do you suppose we take care of it?" Emma asked.

"We push it."

Emma smacked herself on the forehead, repeatedly. Then she looked at the table and her scrawny partner in crime. It wasn't exactly impossible. They both were wearing jeans and a perfectly good pair of boots. Picking up the table should have been a piece of cake.

It was. All they had left was the carpet which too came up with relative ease. It was the floorboards that posed a problem.

They were hardwood. Their construction was perfect. The nails hadn't even had time to rust or even begin to budge an inch. And because they were in Zelena's farmhouse there wasn't a single tool to use. They were pretty much screwed.

"Got any more bright ideas?" Emma said and she tried her damnedest not to sound condescending.

Apparently she failed.

Odette rolled her eyes. She pushed her hands high into the air. Then she pulled them down quickly. Two black spades appeared out of thin air.

"You said no magic," Emma complained.

"No," the girl replied, "I said that whatever possible secret passageway would have a protection spell that could probably detect magic. I said nothing about using magic to create tools for better use."

She gave a cheeky grin that was Killian Jones all the way. She threw a spade to the sheriff. Then she proceeded to dig into the floorboards with happy vigor.

Reluctantly, Emma followed close behind.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The forest was abuzz with activity. Merry Men of all shapes and sizes sprinted about. Some were depositing water into the horse trough. Some were gathering wood for the campfire. Others were busy sharpening weapons and carving new arrows. So it was only natural that Little John would be the first to notice their leader had returned to the camp.

"Robin, what happened?" The big man asked, "Where's Regina?"

Robin's eyes automatically closed against the queen's name. His heart ached for her and all that he would miss. His sorrow reached well beyond the natural end. He could feel his whole soul beat against his chest, begging him not to do what must be done.

"No," John said and he sounded absolutely defeated, "She can't be dead. The prince would have told us. Unless… no! Robin, tell me it isn't true."

Robin had to bite down hard on his tongue. He wanted to scream. He wanted to shout obscenities and grumble about how unfair life seemed. This was supposed to be his second chance, at life and at love. He was supposed to finally live the dream he always wanted. He was supposed to give Regina her happy ending and instead… Instead they were forced to lose everything.

 _Not everything_ , he thought bitterly, _I'm doing this for the children._

"Men," he called, "Gather round. I have something important to tell you."

The outlaw felt bile once again rise to his throat. His mouth filled with the bitter taste of defeat. He pinched the bridge of his nose to keep his thoughts at bay. His children were his life and for Regina it was the same. She would never hate him for this and he would never hate her should their fortunes have been reversed. Had they both not battled so hard to be together, the sting of this betrayal would not be so harsh.

He watched as his men gathered together. They came as a flock from the trees, quadrupling their size within seconds. The young ones still wore happy faces. They were unfamiliar with orders being for anything more than a jovial fight. But the older ones, the ones who had fought with him from the very beginning, they knew well beyond their aged years. Their happy faces dropped to match that of Little John's. Worry and fear; those were the looks upon their faces. Some already had tears in their eyes.

"Robin, don't do this," Emma whispered.

She and Hook stood on either flank. Both wore somber expressions that made the younglings look twice. Their hunched shoulders and defeatist vibe showered down upon the merriest of men. Robin hoisted himself upon a log to better address the masses.

"Men," Robin began, "I have called you all for one purpose, and one alone."

The outlaw took note of how much his men had grown. Some had never experienced life under the rule of the Evil Queen. They had joined after the second curse when stripped from their land and no idea of where else to go. They had never known anything more than stories of the atrocities of a woman who lost love at the hands of someone meant to protect her. They instead had fought for and beside her on many occasions, befriending her as if the fables they cut their teeth upon were nothing more than stories for babes.

"Regina," Robin's voice broke even as he spoke her name, "Her majesty the queen will not be returning to us."

At that many young faces fell. The older ones began to weep openly. Tears streaked manly cheeks, catching in thick curly beards and dissolving into still more tears. Little John and Tuck, the two men who had known the queen both evil and light, bowed their heads in silent prayer.

"Do not fret," Robin felt inclined to say, "For she is not dead. She is very much alive and we should not mourn her. But she will no longer be battling beside me… beside us. She is now… You know of whom she has been captured."

The men nodded despite knowing more than that. Angry scowls replaced tearful sorrow. Some even dared pick up their weapons and shout out words intended for battle. Robin had to be quick. He could not allow his men to give Rothbart any cause of alarm.

"Rothbart and I have come to an agreement," he said to the outrage of the crowd, "He threatened my children… our children. I am willing to risk my life for many things but I will die before I let that madman so much as hurt one head on any of Regina's children, my children!"

He took a moment to breathe. Back went the fear and the anger. Only emptiness remained.

"But a deal has been struck and I must follow through," Robin said, "The first is easily given. I denounce the throne or any claim I may have had upon it. Though I doubt I am or ever was the true son of King Richard the Lionheart…"

"All hail King Richard the Lionheart!" His men shouted.

"Aye," Robin nodded, "A good king and a greater man you will never see again."

He smiled.

"Though Henry seems to be giving him a good run for his money."

The men laughed exactly as predicted. Some even gave out three cheers for the little prince they adopted as their own. Robin took a moment to find a small proud smile gracing the savior's lips. Henry's birth mother was fighting back her sorrow just as beautifully as her best friend. The queen would be proud.

"I am not," Robin said, "Nor have I ever been the heir apparent of Princess Odette, daughter of King William and Queen of the Swans as the stories have told. I have no inherit claim on the royal line of Fantasia nor do I want it. To deny a kingdom is of no importance to me."

His men looked stunned. Only John and Tuck were left to share looks of concern. The young men had mouths agape in wide horror, gazing upon their leader as if he had spontaneously grown another head. Even Will Scarlet couldn't hide his shock. But John and Tuck knew him too well. They were hanging on his every word, waiting for the moment their despair would be realized.

"I am a thief," he said, "and damn proud to call myself one of the most wanted outlaws in history. The only person whose posters dared to challenge me in number was that of Snow White and though she gave me a good run for the honor, the Evil Queen still wanted my hide for better or worse."

"And other unsavory things," one of the younglings muttered.

The group laughed and goaded their leader, jesting at fond memories of their spicy queen. But soon the laughter died when they saw their leader's face. They all pointed and stared upon him as if he were dead again. He was certain he felt it.

"Speaking of Regina," Robin said.

His voice cracked. Air failed to fill his lungs. The harsh sting of tears threatened both of his blue eyes. He could feel his cheeks flare with angry heat.

"I must," he said, "denounce… I… I… My claim… to her…"

Robin couldn't do it. His body and soul were begging him not to. His heart hammered violently against his chest. His blood pumped at an excruciating rate. Sweat poured down his brow. He couldn't breathe. The world was spinning all around.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't disclaim her. He couldn't deny his love for her. Regina was his soulmate. They were bonded by far more than any True Love had ever reached before. Their love surpassed death and united their souls forever.

Yet what other choice did he have?

"I…"

"Wait!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

They were right. The table was hiding something. A very big, blatantly obvious something; a black metal door stood in stark contrast to the light honey of the hardwood floors. It bore the crest of a rearing lion and nothing else.

Odette scowled at the crest before she moved to take the spade to the lock.

"Hold it," Emma said, "Magical protection means this probably isn't an easy lock to break."

The girl gave her a hideous look. She growled quite impressively before shoving the spade to the ground. She stooped low to study the lock. Her delicate fingers reached into her raven hair, removing a perfectly wonderful bobby pin and then another for good measure. Together she combined the hair pieces to create a make-shift lock picking kit.

The lock popped without protest.

"All about the tumblers," the girl grinned.

Emma watched the girl with hawk-like vision. She observed every pull her grin had on her features. She could make out soft divots in the olive cheeks. Her forehead stretched on for miles as her perfect, prim, pearly teeth took over every inch of her face. Her blue eyes lit up like the noon sky with full sun.

She looked beautiful.

"So," Odette sounded breathless as she spoke, "Are we going down or waiting for back-up?"

The sheriff could only blink in surprise. Somehow the small girl already had twin metal doors opened wide. Their black coloring gleamed in the harsh sunlight. A giant black hole now stood between them. If not for the impressive pull of magic, Emma Swan would have dismissed it as a steep drop. Now she was aware of just how cold and sinister the magic felt on her skin.

It was also way too familiar.

"This magic," Emma said, "I've felt it before. Where?"

Odette's blue eyes clouded over with concern. A slight crease appeared in her forehead. Her bottom lip trembled slightly. Her hands shook before she suddenly found control. One breath and she was back to normal yet again.

"It's Rothbart," the girl explained, "His magic feels like ice ripping at your throat, doesn't it?"

Emma could only nod. Every awful thought she'd ever had was pounding away at her skull. She could feel all hope dissolving away.

"Is it a spell?" She asked.

Odette shook her head.

"That's what dark magic feels like," she said.

The sheriff was quick to ignore the sense of dread and panic flaring in her soul. She took one giant gulp of breath, watching as the girl descended the stairs with ease. Then Emma Swan followed.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Prince David, why are you here?"

Robin looked up in time to see Prince Charming was indeed in the camp. He walked towards the outlaws, his jean clad legs beating with determination. His flannel shirt creased with every step he took. His black leather jacket hung limp in his right hand dragging on the earth below. And his sheriff's badge was nowhere to be found, his holster too missing from view.

"Robin," Charming said.

He sounded breathless, like he had been running to their very camp for one specific purpose. It was then the rings of sweat became clear around his neck and armpits. His chest heaved in and out in desperate search of air. His face was blotchy, hair unkempt.

"Zelena," the prince said, "she came to Snow… Regina's in the Cave of Wonders. Part of the mines below… Snow, Henry and the dwarves are going there now."

"You let Henry go?" Robin couldn't believe the man.

"No choice," David huffed, "Gold said he was the only one to find it… It had to be him… The author gives him special powers… or… something."

Charming almost pitched forward. His head found home between his legs. His breath came in short sharp rasps. His whole body weaved up and down. He could barely stand let alone convey any other messages.

"Dad," Emma said, "You need to sit."

The prince fell to the ground at his daughter's urging. Several of the younglings ran to assist in some capacity. They looked pained at the prince's condition.

Except they weren't.

Despite the wild hair and the engorged stomach, Little John was a sensitive soul. He could barely hurt a fly unless it was to protect the people he loved most in all the world. Now he wore an expression of cold fury Robin had never seen before. It was almost as daunting as Tuck's expression.

The former Friar was almost as kindhearted as his bulky friend. Fat from age and muscled from years in Sherwood, the infamous Friar Tuck still maintained a bald cap for his religion. He carried with him a rosary and bible every day. There was never a time when he was without the precious book. And he had it out right now, slamming it hard into a fallen tree stump and cursing the very lord he worshipped.

"Of all the horrible, vicious, low things to do," he bellowed, "This is by far the worst curse imaginable."

His good book slammed onto the ground in a heap. He kicked dirt at it, flung soil and spit to show his opinion. Then he pulled out his rosary and dropped to his knees. His head bent low in prayer and he remained unmoved.

"Dear lord please don't let it be the cave of wonders," he said.

Robin felt his heart squeeze. Will Scarlet's head was also stooped deep in prayer, falling to his knees beside the friar. Several of the younger men; Alan, Much, Grantham, Herald, Scott, did the same. They were all drawing crosses on their chests and prayer to a deity who seemed to have left them long ago.

"John," Robin said.

His best friend and second in command shook his head. His beady eyes were blown wide with panic. He stepped away, head still shaking in earnest. A sudden wave of guilt filled Robin Hood's heart. He quickly stamped down in favor of the growing heart in his lungs, the anger that refused to recede.

"Tell me," he begged.

John's eyes closed in misery. A lonely tear fell down his bearded cheek. Robin watched as it fell into black depths of wild hair, sticks and leaves. It was bizarre to find his first thought was not of comfort, but that he was in desperate need of a bath.

"It was while you were…" Little John gulped as he struggled with his own knowledge, "Many men died when we tried to escape its clutches. Only a small few of us were able to escape at all and we were already few when we made the journey."

"We thought it would bring ya back, Robin," Will shrugged, "We had to try fer tha lad. We failed and swore ne'er to speak o' it again."

"But that was in the Enchanted Forest," Tuck said, "and only a rare soul can enter to begin with. We were lucky with Will at our side. This is not the same. Magic is…"

"Different here," Robin groaned.

He fell to his knees. His heart raced in despair. Rothbart was true to his word. His children were indeed going to suffer. He had already lost Henry. Even if he tried there was no guarantee he would enter at all. There was only one hope left.

"Men!" Robin called.

He stood up tall on the closest boulder he could find. His frantic men, struggling to aid the prince and princess with all their might, paused to stare. Robin Hood raised his arms to them in surrender. Understanding finally dawned.

"The second part of Rothbart's demands will set us free," he said, "For it is the very thing that will save my children… He wants me to deny my claim on Regina and for her children I must do it. I deny any entitlement to her…"

His voice broke. His heart broke. His eyes flooded with unshed tears. A giant pain threatened to engulf his entire soul. His breath fell short and his throat closed.

Needles pricked and prickled his blood. Glass shards of ice infiltrated his spine. His world spun and spun and everything burned.

An image of Regina appeared, screaming and calling out for him in despair. There were no tears spouting from her eyes but he could see pain written plainly on her face. He could feel her heart's pace slowing down to a vicious crawl. Her skin became deathly pale. Her eyes dulled along with her life.

And Rothbart was licking his lips in anticipation.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't grant him this. Not if it meant losing her completely.

Robin Hood blinked away the pain to find himself once again towering over his men. The scowls on their faces brought a small smile to his. Despite the way they began, his men were insanely protective of their queen now. Every argument, every opinion she gave, every single order she spoke was to their agreement. Never, not since his first True Love Marian, had the men ever took a side other than Robin's. Only Queen Regina could waltz into a camp full of men and force them to obey.

That alone spoke volumes about his Merry Band of Thieves.

A chuckle erupted from the outlaw's mouth. It baffled his men and only seemed to make his chuckling louder, harder. He bent with the laughter filling his stomach. He couldn't fight the happy pull even if he wanted to.

"To that I agree," Robin said, "I have no claim on her nor have I ever. Regina is my light, my soul and I have never begged from her anything she was unwilling to give… except her temper but what else can you expect from the former Evil Queen?"

He laughed harder at his own joke. The men seemed in awe and not in a good way. Many of them stared slack-jawed and open-mouthed. Emma's green eyes were blown wide in fright, matching Little John's blazing panic perfectly. Tuck seemed compelled to prayer harder, mumbling softly and moaning for pity in all kinds of ways. Even Prince Charming was shocked to find the outlaw so brazenly crazy and ill-composed.

But there was a proud smirk blooming on Captain Hook's face, understanding in his ocean blue eyes.

"That fool believes I own her!" Robin said, "He thinks that she is with me out of obligation or by law… that she is my property to give and take as I please!"

The laughing didn't stop. For him it just continued to dissolve into more and more madness. He could see the pity in his men's gazes, the fear. He wanted to appease their suffering. He wanted to explain the relief he suddenly felt at his one loophole, his saving grace.

Robin Hood did not own Regina Mills.

"But I am hers just as much as she is mine," he said, "I love her and that is all the difference. Our souls were bound long before our hearts and Rothbart is an absolute idiot if he thinks he can take that away from me… from her. I am just as much a part of her as she is of me. I claim nothing!"

"I don't have to. Regina is not mine to take… to give. She is free to choose and until proven otherwise she for some reason has chosen me countless times. I've betrayed her in the worst way… Dismissed her time and again. Hell, I even died for that insufferable woman and she still refused to let me go… Chose to forgive me my mistakes."

Robin felt the laughter die. His understanding suddenly came to a whole new level. His love for her spoke loud and clear. She was his and he hers. His eyes landed on the only mirror in the camp.

"So Lord Rothbart may take Fantasia if he so pleases," Robin said, "and he may do with it whatever he wishes. But know this… I will fight to my very last breath to give my queen her freedom. Because true love is sacrifice and I will always pay any price for her!"

His men cheered. They were already brandishing weapons, distributing them through the crowd. There wasn't a dry eye under the forest canopy. They were grunting and cheering, preparing for a glorious war. Robin Hood's Merry Men were going to fight for their queen.

"Oooh, I quiver with fear," Rothbart said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The pathway was in complete darkness, as cliché as that was. Emma almost rolled her eyes at the stereotype. The only thing stopping her from indulging in the very action was her fear. The last thing she wanted was to miss a step and fall to her death, or kill the brunette in front of her.

Odette's silhouette had completely disappeared. Emma could barely make out the green glow of her leather jacket. It was nearly impossible to distinguish wall from stair. The sheriff found her head erupting in pain the further down they went.

Coldness seeped into her bones, hungry for the warmth in her heart. Her narrowed eyes struggled to find something to see. The action alone was building pressure behind her eyeballs.

"Oh screw it."

The thin voice was filled with frustration and acceptance. A sudden light filtered through the air. Emma had to blink in order to see but when she did, it was not an image she would ever forget again.

In Odette's palm sat a ball of white fire. It filtered light on every crevice in the blasted staircase, revealing black onyx walls of black pearl and marble. There wasn't an inch free of rich and gaudy blackness and the stairs stretched on and on for a seeming eternity.

Emma whistled. Even Regina's tastes when the Evil Queen weren't as lavish as this. Of course, even at her worst the mayor wasn't one interested in power; only revenge.

"What's with all the lions ever five seconds?" The sheriff couldn't help but ask.

She noticed the girl glaring at the markings in rich stone. Her left hand, devoid of the fireball, reached forward to caress one of those lion sentries. There was a soft smile that tried to appear on its face, but a quivering lip soon forced it to disappear.

"Rothbart," she said, "He had a thing for reminding everyone he's royalty."

Emma frowned. She didn't remember much of the tale but she was positive Rothbart was a lord not a king. She sorted through her knowledge of fairy tales and her own family tree in hopes of understanding. When no answer popped up she was forced to admit defeat.

"Royalty?" She asked, "Like he hates you because he's supposed to be king?"

Odette's reply was a gentle nod. She then turned on the stairs to stare at the sheriff with sad blue eyes. The sorrow on her face made her look remarkably similar to another royalty bent in sadness and despair. Emma swallowed away her emotions and chose to ignore the Killian's niggling thoughts of the girl's possible relationship with them.

"Rothbart is…" Odette paused to curbed her tongue, "He was a lord favored by many. But a great tragedy forced him into darkness."

"He blamed your father for what happened?" Emma asked.

Odette shook her head and continued walking.

"No," she said, "he blames my father for taking his happiness away"

The sheriff found herself once again confused. The Enchanted Forest was full of too many stories and she could never hope to keep up. This was just another example of the life she would never get used to.

"Did he?" Emma asked.

"Yes," Odette replied.

A sick sense of dread filled the sheriff's heart.

"It's funny," Odette continued as if no break had ever come to pass, "I've been told by all of my aunts and uncles that my father never wanted any of this… But Rothbart hurt far too many people. He had to be stopped, Emma."

"And now he's cursed an entire realm."

"Realms," Odette argued, "as in several. All for his own selfish pride."

That stopped Emma's heart cold. A small chill began to creep up her spine. She stopped walking and simply watched the girl continue on her journey to the unknown. She seemed oblivious to the sheriff's torture.

Emma couldn't name the emotions barreling in her chest. She only felt them hammering hard on her senses and begging to be free. Her mind was a black hole of flashing images and they were gone before she could even grasp them.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

The sheriff blinked.

She was on the stairs still, but the steps were pressing hard into her back. Her blonde hair surrounded her head at all sorts of odd angles. Her neck hurt and something soft kept a firm hold on her skull. She looked up and was stunned to find the girl supporting her head in her own hands, both of them.

The fireball glowed strangely above their heads. It just stayed in the sky without anything supporting it. Though if the sheriff squinted just right she could almost swear there were streaks of purple and blue light pulsing from it.

"Is it Rothbart's magic?" Odette asked, "Is it making you ill? We can always come back later."

Emma frowned at the strange girl's questions. The girl knew better. She had to. They didn't have time to leave and if they did there was no guarantee they would ever find this again. So the sheriff shook her head and sat up.

"No," she said, "We have to keep going."

"Do you need me to call Hook?" the girl asked.

The sheriff's heart soared and she had no idea why. She had already figured out there was something familiar about the girl. Odette even looked familiar and sent mixed emotions all over Emma's heart. But this was the first time the sheriff could ever remember the girl calling her by name.

And the girl called Killian Hook.

"We need to keep going," Emma said, "Rothbart might not be able to detect your magic because of the curse. Let's take advantage of that while we still can.

And this time, it was the savior who led the way.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Rothbart appeared in a cloud of his notorious red smoke. Robin Hood watched his men scatter. They pointed their weapons in the sorcerer's direction, ready for battle to commence. It was the outlaw who ordered them to stand down.

Robin walked towards his enemy with calculated steps. Blue eyes were pinned to black. The two stared each other down until they were standing on even footing. The energy buzzing through the air was thick with tension.

"Step down, Rothbart," Robin said his voice like a growl, "I've done as you asked. You need not be here."

Rothbart's expression somehow grew cooler. His angry scowl deepened. His bright red scar glistened with magic. He stepped forward, daring to touch the Prince of Thieves by the lapels of his shirt. Robin felt the sorcerer's magic swirl around him like a wildfire licking every inch of skin.

"You went back on our deal," Rothbart said, "I told you to remove your claim on Queen Regina and you failed to do as I asked. I've already taken one son from you. You only have one left. How many precious lives must I take from you, boy?"

"I have no claim on Regina," Robin said, "Never have. I did not disobey your commands. Release Henry and my men will not shoot you."

"The little prince has made his decision. I cannot change it now even if I wanted to. They have already entered the Cave of Wonders and will be met with certain doom. Denounce Regina and I will let your men live."

"Step down, Rothbart," Robin said, "You're outnumbered."

At this the madman did look at the growing crowd. The many weapons gleamed in the soft rays of setting sunlight. Axes, swords and arrows all pointed towards his head. Robin didn't even have to look to know Hook, Charming and Emma stood front and center with their favorite weapons drawn. He could tell simply by the way sweat fell upon Rothbart's brow.

"Indeed," the madman said, "One problem though."

He flicked his wrist and they were surrounded in darkness. Forms popped up from the earth. Shadows joined the parade. Anything that held darkness and despair merged to form a whole army of black armored men. Their black chests gleamed with the rearing lion.

"They think I'm king," Rothbart said, "And as long as that may be… You will never have my queen. Attack!"

Robin scowled as the coward disappeared. He quickly grabbed his bow and quiver. Arrows rained down on the mindless oafs but they still stepped forward in uniform. There was no deviation. Their spears only lowered and the swords came out to play.

The battle had begun.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The light of the fireball stretched on and on until it finally stopped. It fell upon a giant marble wall with one silly black pearl door. Yet another rearing lion was stretched out upon a crest of pure, glistening black. Emma was getting sick of the motif. She would rather have faced a real lion at this point and was almost disappointed she didn't.

The sheriff stepped forward as she had always done. She reached out her hand to touch the handle. A great searing cold crept up her fingertips. Everything went extremely numb until a blaring, ice cold pain filled her every breath. She pulled her head away and was surprised to find ice had formed on her fingertips.

"Let me try," Odette suggested.

Emma rolled her eyes but allowed the girl to do it anyway. Sure enough, the door opened without a single bit of hesitance. The sheriff silently wondered what kind of magic was in the girl's veins. Sure she was powerful enough to create white fire but how could she break a protection spell that strong?

The questions stopped when both women walked through the door.

It was a grand palace of black stone. The white light filtered through every nook and cranny until it met wall, and there were allot of walls. Black torches hung every eight feet or so on every wall. Emma closed her eyes, focused on every hate filled memory she had and waved her hand. The torches sprang to life happily.

The sheriff was quick to grab the one closest to her right.

"Let's split up," she said, "I'll take the right. You go left. Shout if you need any help."

She didn't even need to look to see the girl's smile in agreement. Odette's blue eyes seemed to shine at the trust bestowed. A small smile flittered across her features before quickly being stemmed down by the girl's own stubbornness.

She turned away before Emma could psychoanalyze it. So the sheriff simply shrugged her shoulders and walked to the right. She tried her best to ignore the giddiness enveloping every blood vessel she had but it was impossible to ignore.

The smile didn't go away no matter which corridor she walked through. Even when the black lions disappeared and black stoned gargoyles began to take up space, Emma Swan's smile refused to disappear. She felt whole once more, or almost there at least. The weight she carried since she woke up to find no Henry, her mother and brother gone, and her best friend once more plunged into total darkness, was gone. She could breathe again.

It was no surprise that the feeling stopped when she was presented with a familiar sight. The room looked exactly the same as Regina's vault. There were shelves upon shelves of magical items placed in pristine order.

Cobwebs stretched in artful décor around the ceiling, which held a giant black obsidian chandelier. With a snap of Emma's finger the chandelier came to life and cast a strange angelic glow all over the place. A black cauldron sat on a monument between two horns on the right. There was a black marble statue of a stag on the left. In the middle gargoyles flanked a podium.

Emma stepped forward entranced by the image. A lonely book sat on the podium. It held the silly lion crest upon its front page. The sheriff traced it with her middle fingertip. She was surprised by the warmth that filtered through at the connection. A nice jolt of electricity shop up through the connection, spreading warmth instead of ice.

The book snapped open as if asked.

The sheriff watched as page after page flipped of its own accord. When they landed it was to a page filled with a few lines. It was arranged in typical poetic fashion complete with no line breaks and odd punctuation placement.

Page twenty-three read:

 _A desperate soul in need of love_

 _the heart of the lion shall belong._

 _To the light the believer draws_

 _a savior born and a savior gone_

 _at the curse's kiss; true love it is._

 _The resilient heart turned dark born_

 _the last curse will mark their return._

 _Sixteen years, moons placed;_

 _the darkness holds a brand new face._

 _From the mirror, new hope will fade_

 _until all that's lost returns again._

 _The fight of one is the fight of all._

 _A king returned; a kingdom falls._

 _To the shadows will be the last stand_

 _of the tides. A shifting sand_

 _to immortality will be called._

 _Fight! The anthem blazed._

 _Two will fall from the haze_

 _and help will light the way._

 _The wicked too will wilt and lie_

 _At the hands of darkness's new friend_

 _and the beginning too shall be the end._

What gibberish the words meant flew from Emma's mind. She was merely glued to the style. She could sense power behind the poem, power far exceeding that of ordinary stands. The unknown poet, whomever they were, had written down words with magic.

Emma could feel its radiant heat with ease. Its electric touch glowed on her fingertips. She could feel it seeping into her bones and promising her love. It was happiness that fueled these words; light magic. The sheriff could practically hear the smile from the writer's lips as the words were writ.

It was a villain's curse; their enemy's happy end.

The sheriff struggled with the pros and cons of taking that book. She could feel an ancient magic working in its spine, cloying at her wrists in eagerness. She even found herself thinking of Belle and all the things the librarian could discover with this very text.

Emma had finally decided taking it was a good idea. She even looked around the room for a sack to carry it in. She found no black satchel nor a pack to shoulder. So with a shrug deemed herself worthy of scooping the thing into the very nook where elbow met arm.

The warm, happy jolt of electricity kicked her heart rate into high gear. She felt pure bliss fill her very senses and even her burdens melted away. She could gaze upon mantelpiece of the fireplace she hadn't even notice and happily take in the lonesome crown without a care. It was gold, she noted, and had lines shaped like feathers.

 _It looks cooler when the crowns are together,_ Emma thought.

The sheriff had no time to ponder her own odd thoughts. A sound filled her with great dread. The book fell to the floor and all happiness was lost.

"Emma!" Odette screamed.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin fought off as many as he could but his men were losing ground. Every time one of the blasted soldiers fell with an arrow to the heart, it rose again to kill another. They only remained dead when their heads were removed, a feat only a few seasoned war heroes could do.

Prince Charming was battling six alone. Captain Hook and Emma Swan were dissolving as many as possible, racing to rescue the savior's father. Little John and Friar Tuck fought closest to him. John's crossbow lay broken a yard away. His scabbard was now covered in black ash. He and Tuck were separating heads from bodies with boisterous ease. Tuck's axe even flung through the air to create a headless army.

The friar ducked under a lethal blow and raised his left hand just in time. The axe returned to save its master. Robin smiled at the silent prayer of thanks to Regina.

His attackers refused to stop. The outlaw could feel their renewed interest in killing him. There blows were harder to block. He could barely jump out of the way of an attack before he was avoiding yet another dangerous strike. His swordsmanship struggled to save him on every turn. More times than he wished his magic was forced to come to the rescue.

Fatigue had set in. He could feel it in his bones. He watched as his men, brave, true and kind, struggled to deliver death blows. The tides were turning and it was not in the Merry Men's favor. Too many shadows. Too little hope. Their strength was outnumbered.

"You're in trouble again, dear nephew," Rothbart said, "Only this time Mummy isn't here to save you."

Robin brandished his sword blindly in search of the madman. Thick red smoke curled every which way making breathing impossible. The outlaw felt a twinge of electricity jolt to his right. He turned, sword reflecting whatever odd magic.

"Good," Rothbart said, "you're learning."

The smoke cleared only to reveal the vile man himself. It was with great pleasure Robin engaged in battle. He gave a great bellow as he mightily swung his sword. He was met with immediate resistance. A sword made of black onyx and diamond gleamed before his eyes. Rothbart's villainous smile appeared behind it.

"Now where have I seen this image before?" Rothbart asked. Both parties were well aware the question was rhetorical. "Oh yes. I remember. This is exactly how your father looked before he died."

Robin dislodged the swords first. The deep seated anger came to a raging boil. He attacked and attacked and Rothbart parried every thrust. He laughed mockingly as the outlaw continued to allow his rage the upper hand.

There was no pause. There was no second thought. There was only the clash of two swords and two enemies thrown deep in a battle of wills and power. Then there was only the victor and his spoils.

Robin knew the moment he lost. His muscles gave way without permission. His sword veered left when he wished it right. Then he was on his knees, black onyx pressed firm against his beating heart.

"Long live the king," Rothbart said.

He pulled his sword away to deliver the final blow. Robin didn't give his mind time to think. He simply forced his muscles into action. He lunged to the side and somehow managed to grab his sword. He forced his arm to rise despite the fatigue and lacking stamina.

With a swish of his wrist a deep crimson blob appeared on Rothbart's chest. A deep red crevice bloomed in the butchered skin. The madman sorcerer stumbled backwards. His black eyes turned blue in complete surprise. His sword fell from his hand. He fell to his knees with Robin's sword claiming his throat.

"Call off your dogs," the outlaw said.

To that the madman merely laughed. His chest continued to pour blood and still he laughed on and on. Black reappeared in his eyes. There was no softness, no defeat. Only madness reigned.

"You think you've won," he said.

Rothbart snapped his fingers and all went to hell. The soldiers of shadow and darkness unarmed each and every man. Emma Swan was held with multiple daggers at her throat and sides. Prince Charming hung limp and lifeless under Hook's watchful gaze. The pirate captain now sported more blood marks than clothes. Most of the Merry Men were now held on the brink of death by various weapons. There wasn't a single enemy that did not hold a friend by the throat.

"You won the battle," Rothbart said, "But not the war. Now I have the queen and your friends. Even if the boy could escape the Cave of Wonders… you still lose."

Robin's hand shook. His men, his brothers in arm, were now at his enemy's mercy. His greatest fear had been realized. Rothbart held all the cards and Robin's will was lost.

His sword plowed into the soft earth below.

"You've won," he said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma's heart had never beaten so fast. Her feet were running before she could even be aware of what was happening. The only thing she knew was that Odette called for help and she was desperate to get there soon.

She turned around strange corners and crashed into magical objects of various shapes and sizes. She took one turn to sharp and another too slow. Her left shoulder fell into one of the many intricate mirrors of the chamber, smashing it to bits and ripping her jacket in the process.

A flare of fire told the sheriff that glass had embedded in her skin, but she ignored that. All she knew was that she needed to find the girl. Everything else could wait until after she knew Odette was alive.

And Odette needed to be alive.

She almost missed the turn. If not for the suddenly bright white light, she probably would have. But luck seemed to force her hand in the brink of time. She took the unexpected right and plowed straight into a solid form.

Emma fell in time with the very body she crashed into. Both Odette and the sheriff sprawled in a tangle of hair and limbs upon the floor. Emma watched her badge skitter across black onyx into one of the ugly gargoyles before the world went black once more.

Red filled the room first and foremost. Emma had to concentrate on every terrible thing she had ever faced, but the fire continued to build in her palm until it took on a bright yellow tint. Prided flared through the sheriff's heart before she remembered what brought her here in the first place.

"Odette," she shouted.

The girl was nowhere to be found. Despite the light in the room, Emma couldn't find even a trace of the girl in green. The sheriff closed her eyes and forced herself to focus on happier memories.

The flames in her palm flickered for a moment before growing in intensity and heat. The yellow flames grew and grew until they could no longer be contained. Emma threw the flames in every direction, hoping she remembered the location of every torch she had seen.

A few flames missed their target but the room was soon lit with enough light for Emma to rectify her mistake. She saw the indentations in the flickering light and lit every torch in sight. Soon the room was decorated in warmth instead of cold.

The girl popped into view not even six feet away. Emma only had to take two steps before her hands landed on a green clad shoulder. Odette flinched as if burned.

The sheriff instinctively raised her hands in surrender. She allowed her concerned features to relax into a calm smile. She was gentle as she reached towards the girl. She first plunged into soft, raven locks that had a sweet smell to it. Her thumb started massaging behind her left ear, hoping to convey comfort. Blue eyes closed and the girl leaned into the touch.

"Are you alright?" She asked and she was stunned to find her voice filled with so much concern.

Odette's head nodded slowly. Then blue eyes popped open in pure alarm. They shot to take note of the hand rubbing softly behind her ear. Then the girl was gazing into green eyes with too many emotions flittering in them to gleam.

"I'm fine," she said.

The girl pushed her away and struggled to her feet. She took one look at the room and blue eyes rolled up into the back of her head before returning again. She shook her head and immediately pushed a white ball into the air. It hovered on the ceiling, illuminating more space than Emma's many fireballs dared.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked, "I heard you scream. I thought you were in danger!"

The note of anger in her voice was shocking to find. Emma had to carefully reign in her emotions to keep from bashing in the girl's head. She only avoided causing harm because her anger was born out of fear and she didn't know what to think of that.

Odette's throat bobbed up and down in a giant swallow. Her blue eyes began to shoot around the room in search of purchase. Her gaze couldn't help but flicker from one object to another in quick succession and Emma's head spun just watching it. Her green eyes looked down only to find the girl's fingers twirling together nervously.

"I think I found something," the girl said.

Emma nodded her head. She was too afraid to speak. The girl was nervous and her instincts begged her to be quiet. She could feel something prickling up her spine and dared to wait it out.

Finally the blue eyes stopped. They grew wide and frightened on the object that seemed to begging for attention. Odette's entire body froze as she gazed on.

The sheriff turned her head to follow the line of sight. Her vision glazed over the many gargoyles assorted in an orderly row. She ignored the black box and its many wires plunging this way and that. Instead her green eyes found themselves staring at a giant black marble headboard, a rearing lion carved into its crest.

"It's a coffin," Emma realized.

She flinched at the sound of her voice. It sounded cracked and way too frightened to her own ears. A quick look in Odette's direction and she found the girl's eyes closed. A single tear dripped down an olive cheek. Emma was stunned to find her finger already wiping it away.

Odette's blue eyes opened at the contact. She turned her weary head towards the sheriff and sudden longing filled those blue eyes. The communicated a bond that Emma couldn't hope to identify. Then the girl's chest rose and she stepped forward on hesitant steps.

Emma followed as she was certain she always would.

It was as they got closer to the coffin that the sheriff realized her mistake. The headboard was made of ebony, not marble. For some reason the distinction mattered though the sheriff couldn't figure out why. There were many tubes and wires running into and out of the coffin with no resistance.

A flash of white appeared in the sheriff's vision and she was forced to take in more. The coffin was topped with glass just like Snow White's. It was such an odd similarity that her green eyes had to be told to keep moving.

That was when Emma Swan noticed the body locked within.

Odette gasped something odd like "oh mercy" "sweet memory" or "your majesty". Emma was too busy to notice. Her green eyes were distracted by the body in the bed. Her fingers shot out, shooting through the glass as if it wasn't even there at all. She sighed in relief when she felt a pulse.

"Is he…" Odette's voice stuttered to ask, "He's not… is he alright?"

"He has a pulse," Emma said.

The sheriff didn't know what else to do. She could only stare in wonder and awe. Her head felt numb and she was far too stunned for words.

For there, nestled in the softest silk Emma Swan had ever had the pleasure to feel, lay the infamous outlaw Robin Hood.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"What would you have me do?" Robin asked.

He fell to his knees, palms up. He leaned heavily against the only weapon left to him. The fatigue of battle was taking its toll. He could barely breathe and his stomach kept turning in insufferable cramps. Now his jaw burned with thirst. His sweat seized to be. His skin was fire to touch.

 _Regina_ , Robin thought.

It was too late. He could tell by the slowness of his heart. His queen had already succumbed. He could feel her gasping for air. He could feel her skin burning up. If he closed his eyes he would see her one final time.

But she was lost and only Rothbart could save her now.

"You should have listened to me long ago," Rothbart said, "But I am a merciful man."

His bleeding chest no longer spewed its vile liquid. Magic spread from side to side enveloping the skin until it was once again whole and pure. The madman stood to his full height. His left palm filled with red smoke until its intended object appeared.

It was an apple as red as blood.

Robin groaned.

"Apples are a symbol of health and wisdom," Rothbart said.

"Save it," Robin replied, "Regina already showed me."

The madman snarled at Robin's use of the queen's name. Still he did not seem too unsettled by such familiarity. The sorcerer was already aware of their relationship. He already believed Roland and Cora to be shared between them. He did not care about his tarnished goods. Only that she was retribution as his ascension to his throne.

"Your body will be your tomb," Rothbart said, "You will dream of nothing but your biggest regrets… and for you I am certain there are many, thief. But you will taste my forbidden fruit."

"Will you free my men?" Robin asked, scowling all the while, "If I take this curse, will my family be safe?"

For once Rothbart did not look pleased with the question. Instead his face morphed into one of soft kindness. His black eyes turned a stark, crisp blue. His features softened until pure understanding took over. His right hand even offered comfort instead of mocking.

"Regina will be mine," Rothbart said, "but I abhor violence. Your men will be free. Your children will be safe. Of that I will give you my word."

"And if I refuse?" Robin asked.

He knew the answer. He could see the blackness once again taking over. Rothbart's eyes were hollow, soulless pits. His answer was rough and to the point.

"Then all who defy me will die."

Robin took the apple without a second thought. He brought the precious fruit to his lips and stared. Even the smell belonged to her, his queen. He knew this blood red apple's point of origin far better than he wished. Rothbart, the mad sick man that he was, chose the perfect weapon.

This apple came from Regina's apple tree.

"Killian," Robin said.

The pirate's ocean blue eyes turned to him in anticipation. For a moment they turned glassy and began to roll up, but Captain Hook knew how to control himself. He blinked a few times and nodded the outlaw's way.

"Aye Robin," he said.

"Promise me she will never see me like this?"

The pirate nodded and when Robin gave him a stern look an eye roll formed.

"Yes Robin," he said, "I promise she will never… I promise."

"Will," Robin called.

The thief's head peeked above the many knives at his throat. He choked and groaned in pain. But his green eyes fell on him, even one swollen to that of a grapefruit.

"Protect her," he said, "With your life as I have with mine."

"Always Robin," Will said, "Always."

With that Robin Hood bit down on the vicious fruit and closed his eyes.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"My revenge has finally been made."

Regina felt her heart freeze at the madman's words. Rothbart's greasy voice filled the small chasm that was her home. Regina couldn't help but press her hands tight against the chains around her wrists.

Regina was about to open her mouth with a snarky comment, dry throat be damned. She was about to demand he explain himself so she could put him in his proper place. But fate was a funny, fickle beast and now was no different.

It began as a small crack in her heart, a tiny trace of something breaking deep within. The pain entered her next. It was a quick stab in her back that swiftly enveloped every inch of her beating heart. A shrill white hot pain began to ebb away from her center, spreading until it engulfed the black red organ whole.

The very breath was stolen from her lungs. Her legs gave out completely as the pain continued to spread and tear through limbs and organs without discretion. Her eyes filled with tears before disappearing into an image both comforting and horrifying.

 _She was in a room of complete darkness. Not even her hands nor clothes were visible, but she could feel them. She fought to rise to her feet. It felt as though great chains decorated every inch of her skin. Her head swam as it tried to figure out which was up and where was down._

 _Her boots made an odd sound on the ground. They emitted a soft huff as if on marble or tile. They felt weird these boots as if they were threadbare and well worn. At least she was wearing pants and her shirt, though stifling, was relatively comfortable._

 _A cautious step forward and a soft glow appeared. Bright blue flames flickered in the distance, beckoning her forward. Stepping towards the flames seemed the only option so she obeyed the whim. Her eyes went wide when the flames grew near. She recognized that fire, that sweet sappy warmth invading her senses._

 _Home._

 _These flames, this fire that appeared out of nowhere belonged to her and her alone. Her hands were quick to take in their warmth and feel the happiness spread through torso and chest. A movement in the distance caught her eye. A strange flicker forced her to abandon the blue fire's glow. A face of pure bliss met her._

 _"Robin!" She gasped._

 _In return the outlaw merely smiled. His cocky smirked inflamed his features. His hand stretched forward in mirror of her own. Cool glass met where their fingertips should have been. Once again they were only able to look but not touch._

 _"Regina," he whispered in glee._

She blinked and the queen had returned. Rothbart hovered over her, watching her face hungrily. He looked far too pleased with himself. He was feeling bold too, his hand shot out to move an errant hair away from her face. She flinched for his touch was far too warm and unwanted.

Regina swallowed down the giant lump clogging her throat. Delicately she pushed away his hungry hands and tried to rise on wobbly arms. She felt her weak body crash down into the cold, hard cellar floor and silently cursed herself for such weakness.

"What did you do to him?" She moaned.

Her voice wavered and cracked with every word. She could hear the lack of control and the condemning tears. Her mother's voice instantly began to fill her head with wicked thoughts from a time long gone.

 _Love is weakness_ , _Cora Mills whispered._ _Then she crushed Daniel's heart and laughed as Regina married the king._

"It matters not my dear," Rothbart said.

Regina glared at the happiness that dared to find home on his face.

"My revenge is complete. We can finally have our happy ending."

The madman's hand once again fell on her face. She was far too weak to fight it away and he was far too aware. He magicked a fresh bowl of water and brought it to her lips.

"Drink," he commanded, "We're free."

Her greedy body no longer wanted to obey its thirst. Her hand shot out and poured the sweet substance down Rothbart's clothes. She watched as his eyes turned black with rage. She didn't even feel the hot slap he gave in return. Her eyes stung because they could no longer produce tears. So she allowed them their reprieve and fell asleep.

* * *

 **In The Next Chapter:** Snow and Henry find Regina but that's the easy part of their journey towards saving Robin. Meanwhile, Rothman has a favor to demand of Gold and Mary-Margaret returns to Storybrooke.


	10. The Cave of Wonders

Storybrooke – Now

"Is he going to be okay?"

Odette was scared. Emma could tell that even if she wasn't privy to the fear written plainly on her olive face. She was almost ghostly white the girl's color was so drained. The sheriff had to grab her arm to keep it from shaking.

"He'll be fine," she said.

Emma really hoped it wasn't a lie.

"Someone get me his b. p. stat!" Dr. Whale cried, "His h. r. is a thin line and I know one unhappy mayor who will not be pleased if she wakes and he died!"

The shouts continued to echo about the hospital. Dr. Whale ordered his nurses around, plugging in as many tubes and I.V.'s as possible. He even had a stream of blood bags at the ready should he need an endless supply.

"Pressure's dropping," one of the nurses said.

"Let's get him into operation now," Whale ordered.

His eyes turned to Emma. There was concern on his features. He went forward while his staff disappeared behind double doors. His kind blue eyes took in the trembling girl at her side before quickly moving back to her.

"Do you know how long he's been down there?" he asked.

Emma shook her head. She recounted what they knew and pointed her chin in the patient's direction. Dr. Whale somehow found reason to smile at that.

"He's suffering from hypothermia," Whale said, "I'll know more soon but I needed to be certain there's nothing magical going on with his symptoms."

Odette seemed to take that as a personal challenge.

"What do you mean nothing magical?" She hissed, "It's Rothbart's stupid curse that's doing this to him. What's not magical about that?"

"You should go," Emma said.

She then quickly grabbed the girl by the shoulders and forced her to look face to face. Odette's blue eyes were lined with red now. Her bottom lip trembled. A few front teeth popped out to keep the quivering at bay.

"Listen to me," Emma said, "Robin Hood has defeated death itself. Nothing's going to keep him from his family but I need to know everything you can tell me about the curse."

"I've already tried-" the girl argued.

Emma shook her head. She tried to find a reason to smile. She bit down on her own worry and focused on the young woman before her. The sheriff couldn't help but see her mother Snow White all over the girl's features. Maybe Killian's theory was right.

"Not like that," she said, "Dr. Whale's a great doctor. Robin's in good hands but the only way we can really help him is to reunite him with his true love."

The girl's features switched from fear to confusion. A deep 'v' appeared in forehead. Her raven hair slowly swished from side to side. Her shoulders straightened up and determination took over.

"The queen," she said, "You want me to find the queen?"

Emma smiled and nodded. She quickly pulled out her phone and dialed her father's number. The line took forever to connect. Three rings waved through the speaker before a voice filtered in. David Nolan's voicemail answered the phone.

The sheriff hung up the phone and dialed again. After the fifth refusal to answer she began to get frustrated. Her call to Killian went straight through.

"Where's my dad?" She growled.

Killian's voice was very calming as he spoke.

"You're never gonna believe this, love," he said.

Emma frowned.

"What?" She asked.

"We're talking to your mother right now."

* * *

Storybrooke – Earlier that Day

David Nolan watched Ryder Wood in amusement. The thief was pretty lazy. He just laid on the cot, staring at the ceiling. His brown eyes were blank as they observed every inch of tile in his cell. After a while the sheriff could make out soft mutterings that sounded suspiciously like numbers. Finally, the thief spoke as if answering a conundrum that astounded everyone in Storybrooke.

"There are 142 tiles on this room's ceiling," he said, "which means that there are 50,552 tiles all over this building. And if the other buildings in the area match the station, I'd wager that would mean there are 303,312 tiles in the business section of Storybrooke. This is not accounting for multiple floors or town hall which is made with…"

David stopped listening when the thief continued to mutter on. He could barely keep his blue eyes from rolling to the back of his head. It was quite tiresome, keeping up with the thief. He could barely tolerate murderers on the best of days, but this one had killed someone he viewed as a friend.

Of course the thief decided to invade even that tiny reprieve.

"Stupid curse" and words like "stupid uncles" and "ridiculous ideals" fell away from the thief's random muttering. Even a few choice expletives left his moving lips followed quickly by either "magic" or "curse". Nothing the thief said made sense. Nothing uttered spoke kindly either.

"I hate Rothbart," the thief huffed.

David frowned.

"Who's Rothbart?" He asked.

The thief jumped as if hit. He scrambled to his feet in a breathless wonder. His hands wrapped around his cell bars, knuckles turning white from great force. His nose slammed in between the bars until his eager features turned on the sheriff at the desk before him.

"You heard that?" He asked.

David rolled his eyes. The thief was messing with him now. The sheriff muttered a few choice words of his own before opening his paper and pointedly ignoring the other man.

"Dammit David, look at me!"

The sheriff obeyed. He turned to look at the thief whose brown curls were flopping up and down. He pivoted on his toes the way a toddler unable to see would. Then the thief smiled when he realized his audience was captive once more.

"Did you hear me?" He asked, "About Rothbart and the curse?"

David frowned again.

"What curse?"

The thief took a deep breath, seemingly ready to regale his tale of whatever curse he thought was going on. David even saw his lips move downward to deliver it too. But the sheriff never heard the words, nor could he if he truly wanted to. Instead his attention was perfectly averted to the buzzing cell phone in his top desk drawer.

He removed the buzzing thing. He held it up to his face to better read the image on the screen. His blue eyes widened and his heart filled with glee. The message read:

 _Meet me in the loft. Urgent!_

His heart began to race. His palms filled with sweat. His legs were already pushing him out of the seat before he could even think of anything else.

 _She's here._

Mary-Margaret Blanchard-Nolan was here. She had finally sent him a text, some form of communication she never delivered before. She wanted him to meet her at the loft and her husband would never deny her that. There were so many questions. So many things they needed to discuss.

 _Was Neal with her? Are they alright? What happened? Was she in danger still?_

"Where the Hell are you going?"

David stopped cold. His eyes snapped shut before opening again. He pivoted away from the coat rack he apparently moved to and stared hard at his prisoner.

"Don't move," he ordered.

He quickly debated the thief's quick intellect and decided supervision was better than letting loose a potential murdering fiend. Besides, his daughter would gladly cut him limb to limb if Ryder Wood escaped under his watch. It was no trouble at all to press the image of Emma Swan and make the call.

She picked up on the first ring exactly as predicted.

"What's wrong?"

Her voice sounded panicked. There was a hint of tears too. Fatherly concern battled for dominance against husband's excitement. One deep breath in and he was able to speak.

"Caught a lead that needs looking into," he said, "How soon can you send someone to watch Wood?"

A giant sigh was his only reply. The sound of scuffling implied Emma put the phone down away from her face. The distant murmuring of voices converged into a full on argument of necessity. Someone new said something about breaking the curse while Killian Jones snarled an ugly reply of, "we don't even know if you're telling the truth." The argument continued on and on until an agreement was made.

"I'm sending Killian your way now," Emma said.

David sighed in relief and waited.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"I'm tired of waiting!"

The outlaw's explosion was inevitable. Robin had barely been able to contain his rage since Regina's disappearance and their failed mission definitely wasn't helping matters. So Snow White was less than surprised when Robin ignored the helpful shouts and instead continued to waltz out the door in search of his true love.

Snow had to fight her own instincts to chase after him. She could see simply by the set of his shoulders that tension continued to bristle in every bone. Instead she chose to focus her attention on the two unhappy boys the outlaw left behind.

But her vision was filled with green.

Emma's green eyes kept darting from the outlaw to the boys and back to her. Her hands began twisting and turning at her hips. Her stance shifted from side to side. She kept darting heartbroken glances Henry's way before turning towards her mother with guilt on her features.

Snow smiled despite herself and everything else. Even when her daughter wanted nothing more than to wallow in pain, she wanted to help her friends more. A great swell of pride enveloped her heart. Understanding soon dawned on the savior's features.

"Go," Snow ordered, "You're the only one who can help him now. I've got the boys."

Emma left like a bullet from a gun. Her booted feet clambered past her father and lover to the very outlaw who could set Storybrooke on fire. Snow gave both the prince and the pirate stern looks. She tilted her head to their boots, still caked in mud. Without a word uttered she pointed to Little John and motioned all three men away from the foyer.

She was left alone with the children. Snow White turned around and felt her heart break at the image before her. Little Roland had tears streaming from his eyes. His tiny face stayed firm on the ground. His little arms pounded against the white marble, his little feet flailing in the air.

"P-p-papa's gone," he cried, "N-n-no m-ma-majesty. I want m-ma-majesty, H-h-henry!"

The teenaged author looked no better than his little brother. Tears glistened in his brown eyes as he struggled to comfort the little boy on the floor. His right hand rubbed soothing circles in the preschooler's back while his left wrist kept swiping at his eyes.

It appeared he was losing the battle against his impending breakdown as well.

"Enough of that," Snow said.

She calmly went to her knees and scooped the trembling toddler into her arms. She rocked the crying boy back and forth as she mussed her grandson's hair. She watched as he leaned into the comfort of her hand without his familiar teenaged scowls. Her left hand fell to his chin and gently forced two pairs of brown eyes to look at her.

"You mustn't give up hope," she said, "You both know Regina… your mother is many things but weak isn't one of them. She's the strongest person I've ever met…"

"Really?" Roland interrupted with tiny sniffles, "but you and Uncle David have fought dragons!"

"And who saved you from a flying monkey?" Snow asked.

She tickled the little boy and found a small grin appearing on his features. Even Henry was giving her a tiny grin. But the light bubble of laughter never came. Roland's face, like his older brother's, fell far too quickly.

"Papa left," Roland said, "Majesty's in trouble and…"

"And he left to go get her," Snow replied.

She watched as tearful brown eyes blew wide with wonder. A small smile appeared on the young boy's face. His chubby cheeks dimpled as a small chuckle issued forth from his lips. He slammed his tiny hands against his treacherous lips. But the giggles continued to go on and on until they faded away into more tears of despair.

"It's alright," Snow promised, "Your Papa is going to bring Regina home and everything will be alright."

"I wouldn't be so certain of that."

Snow watched as swirls of green smoke parted. Red hair and ivory skin displayed something akin fear. The woman before her wore a simple black outfit, dressed as if for a funeral with her clothing's fine elegance. It had the princess' heart faltering.

"Zelena!"

Henry spit his aunt's name in disdain. He stood to his full height, body perfectly poised to hide away little Roland from view. The young author and twin hands barreled into fists at his side. His growing body shook with rage. His face was even pinched into an image reminiscent of a bomb about to explode.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"He's going to kill her," Zelena said, "Rothbart thinks Regina will drink the water when she's desperate enough but he doesn't know her. She's too stubborn. She's going to die before she ever enslaves herself to another marriage without love. You have to save her!"

Snow felt her blood run cold. Her whole world began to spin. She stepped up to push Henry and Roland behind her, fighting against the nausea of the witch's words. She raised her chin up high to defiantly gaze at the woman who betrayed them all.

"What are you talking about Zelena?" She asked.

The witch didn't even hide her fear. She latched both arms onto the princess and shook her with everything she had. There was a slight trace of tears on her ivory cheeks. Her pale green eyes were even reddened.

"He's not going to stop til he has her!" she said, "My little sister isn't just a pawn to him. She's the endgame! I can't let him hurt her."

Snow was confused. This woman had done so much damage to their family. She had caused nothing but destruction upon them all simply because her mother didn't choose to ruin her life. She had no right to be upset over Regina's imprisonment. She assisted in it.

"Why should we trust you?" Henry screamed, "You put her there to begin with!"

"He wasn't supposed to hurt her!" Zelena said, "He was supposed to be so obsessed that he didn't see the double cross. I had him on the hook and now he wants to poison, Robin Hood!"

"He wants to what?" Henry said, "How could you let this happen?"

"Zelena, where is she?" Snow asked, "We can't save Regina if we don't know where she is."

"The Cave of Wonders," the witch said, "That's why I came to you. Henry can enter."

She nearly went into a panic at their twin looks of disbelief.

"He has the heart of the truest believer," she said, "and he's the author. The cave has to let him enter no matter what. And you have to go with him. Bring whomever you can but you have to do it quickly. Rothbart is only going to be distracted by that thief for so long. You have to hurry."

"Okay," Snow replied, "but what is he planning to do to Robin? We have to give him some sort of warning…"

"No time, you idiot!" Zelena shouted, "My sister's about to die! I've tried everything. Who cares about a sleeping curse when my little sister is about to drink the bloody poisoned water!"

And with that she left. There was no explanation, no cause for her sudden change of heart. The witch merely disappeared in a puff of green smoke as if that solved everything.

A soft light wail filled the room. Snow White silently swore at the witch and calmly turned around. Roland was already engulfed in Henry's arms. The little boy had tears oozing from his eyes and snot dripping down his nose.

"What do we do?" Henry asked.

The princess was saddened to see her grandson on the brink of tears as well. The teenaged author was barely holding it together. His bottom lip trembled violently. His tight grip on young Roland kept loosening against his will. Thick crocodile tears seemed to be flowing down his cheeks without his permission.

He was barely hanging on at all. And Roland fared no better, the young boy had his face buried in the teen's shoulder and refused to escape. He wouldn't even budge when Will Scarlet entered the mayor's mansion. The knave of hearts tried to pull the boy away only to receive a bigger wail in reply.

Roland gripped Henry tighter. Henry fought to hold onto the crying little one with all his might. And a new set of wails filled the air, a signal that Cora was now aware of the madness within. Snow White turned a desperate look Will Scarlet's way. There was only one thing left to do.

"Get the dwarves," she said, "We have work to do."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian Jones took too long. The thief had already tried to explain his innocence five different ways. He even gave suggestions on who it could possibly be. David refused to listen to the garbage he spewed. Instead he focused on the ticking clock on the station wall.

At twenty minutes past eleven exactly, the deputy appeared.

"Apologies," he said, "Dodging traffic from the docks was a bloody nightmare."

David didn't give the man time to explain. He simply exited the door in rhythm with his deputy's arrival. Killian even called out after him, a question of his destination and an echo of the thief locked away. But the other sheriff had plans and nothing would stand in his way.

The journey home was ridiculously perilous. He was a poor display of a sheriff breaking countless laws to get home in time. He barely waited for his gears to shift into park before he cut the engine and barged from his cherry red truck. His feet stumbled as they slammed into concrete sidewalk.

His keys wouldn't cooperate. Getting into the apartment complex proved almost too difficult a task. Then some blessed soul opened the door and barreled over while he raced to the stairs. He fell up them several times in his careless need to get there. It was almost with relief when he made it to their floor opened their door and his vision became flooded with her.

She was pacing the floor. Her hair was still in that stubborn short bob. She was wearing her favorite pink cardigan. Her gray slacks dissolved into a pair of heeled boots. Her right hand kept twirling her necklace between her fingers.

And Mary-Margaret had never looked so beautiful.

"Mary-Margaret," David called.

His wife barely had time to turn around. He enveloped her into his arms without a moment of hesitation. Hot tears prickled the backs of his eyes. Her familiar honey scent filled his nostrils from every angle. His nose found home in her neck and refused to be swayed away.

"David," she said.

He pulled away first. He couldn't believe the look of confusion in her green eyes. A slight 'v' formed on her forehead. His thumbs couldn't help but move to her cheeks and caress her soft porcelain skin.

"You're back," he said.

Her frown deepened.

"Back?" She asked, "Where did I go?"

David's jaw fell open. Worry began to pulse up and down his spine. His hands fell away to grip her shoulders, cementing her reappearance in his life.

"Did Regina do something to me?"

David's heart stopped. His wife's green eyes filled with so much pain and horror. Her bottom lip trembled slightly. She leaned closer to him watching for signs of knowledge.

"What?" He asked.

"I killed her mother, Charming," Mary-Margaret said, "She already stole the beans. She's going to want some form of retribution. And from the surprised look on your face I'd say she got it."

David shook his head. He stepped away from his missing wife and tried to get a handle on his own emotions. His heart raced in alarm of her statement. He could feel his breath coming in short spurts. He closed his eyes and tried to get his breathing under control.

"David, what's going on?"

The sheriff snapped out of his despair immediately. His blue eyes turned to his wife and a smile slammed onto his features. He quickly grabbed her cheeks again, smoothing the 'v' out of her forehead. Then he pressed his head to hers and gazed into her eyes.

"What do you remember?" He asked, "Where were you?"

Mary-Margaret blinked. Her eyelids fluttered open and closed around those wonderful green eyes of hers. Thoughts swirled about her head until she finally answered.

"I don't know," she said, "I just woke up in the woods with no idea how I got there. Sent you a text and came straight home. I figured you would know what's going on."

David shook his head. He struggled with the anguish of explaining his side of things. He felt as though all energy was draining from his very soul. But he had to tell her. He pushed down on the fear and the overwhelming pain of breaking her heart to speak.

"Neal's missing."

Her reaction was not as expected. Her green eyes just blinked blankly. She pulled away from his embrace, 'v' deepening on her brow. Then something clicked and she gasped.

"Neal Cassidy?" She asked, "Henry's father is missing? How? He's the son of Rumpelstiltskin who would dare take him?"

David's heart sank. He closed his eyes against the impending headache. He stepped back to gain some form of control in his world. A deep breath in and a long slow breath out he finally spoke.

"Mary-Margaret," he said, "What's the last thing you remember?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"So the wicked witch just poofed in here and told you where they're hiding the queen?" Grumpy asked, "And you believed her. How are we supposed to trust what she has to say? It could be a trap."

There were six sets of nods in agreement. Each of the seven dwarves were armed with their pickaxes. A couple fairies had even arrived to assist in watching over the children. Unfortunately both Henry and Roland protested being left out of anything. Henry, being a teenager and the author, made all arguments for his dismissal obsolete. But young Roland, a preschooler raised by a former Evil Queen and thieves, was easily met with resistance.

So the boy took a page from Regina's books and refused to listen. He barged into the queen's office and sat himself down on his favorite chair. He gave each adult a steady glare and refused to budge from his seat. He won if only because he wasn't discovered until it was already too late.

"We don't," Prince Charming sighed, "but what other choice do we have?"

He pointed to the map laid out before them. It was a crude drawing of everything they knew about Storybrooke. Roland, with his crayons drawn for war, was key in pointing out many problems with the map. If not for him none of them would know about the eighteen different brooks that flowed into Storybrooke's river.

"But where's the Cave of Wonders?" Snow asked, "She disappeared before I could even get a location."

"And why the sudden change of heart?" Happy asked, "Correct me if I'm wrong but Zelena tried to kill Regina through Robin not even a week ago. Why is she suddenly worried about if she lives or dies?"

"That's what I'm wondering," Charming agreed, "but we'll have to figure that out at another time. Right now we have to find the Cave of Wonders. You guys know every inch of the mines. Is there a possible place where they could be… a place we haven't thought to look yet."

Dopey, with his eyes wide and his face absorbed by a giant radiant smile, turned towards Doc and quickly whispered in his ear. There was a slight giggle emanating from his direction before he was quickly brought back to task. He slammed his left hand on the map repeatedly until Doc finally rolled his eyes and observed.

"Dopey says the waterfall but that's impossible," Doc said, "We've been over there a hundred times and there's never been a sign of anything magical or otherwise… Which for Storybrooke is kind of odd."

The grey haired dwarf chuckled to a round of stares. Even little Roland gave him a judging look. Brown eyes and those familiar divots were turned into an impressive growl that mimicked the queen impeccably. Henry's smile then seemed to take on Robin's cheeky smug grin without a second thought.

Snow noticed how the tension in the room was beginning to turn from friendly to hostile. She quickly pointed to the waterfall on the map and turned to Roland's expressive gaze. The preschooler may not have been familiar with his own expertise, but he was always more than willing to help however he could.

"Roland," she said, "What's around the waterfall? Did your Papa show you?"

The boy, naturally, shook his head to the negative. He turned his crayons towards the direction of the woods. He traced his blue crayon around the waterfall before mumbling quietly to himself. A row of green suddenly appeared and a finger met his lips.

"Shh," he said, "It's mine and Majesty's secret."

This perked Henry's interest. The teenager stepped forward to better gaze at the map and the area the young one pointed to. His finger traced over the marked spot. He took note of the growing array of trees Roland seemed motivated to draw.

"Roland," the author said, "What kind of trees are these? Are these the big trees Mom says you're not allowed to climb or the ones that I'm allowed to help you with?"

The boy shook his head again. He pointed to the green trees and giggled a bit. Then he started coloring more trees onto the map surrounding the waterfall.

"Not either," he said, "They're the trees Papa says that give us sweet sap for eating. Majesty says we can only have a little on our pancakes cuz we're-"

"Already too full of sugar," Henry grinned, "Okay so they're Maple trees, right? Mom calls it her secret spot because it has a perfect rock for reading."

"She told you the secret too!" Roland cheered, "Did she show you her rock? The magic rock?"

"Magic Rock?" Charming turned towards her with a look of confusion.

Snow bit down on her lip to keep from laughing. The boys were in their own little world and the dwarves were horrified to witness it. All eight men in the room looked absolutely flabbergasted at the idea of a secret shared between the former Evil Queen and her children. Grumpy even had to bite back a smile at Roland's next words.

"The magic rock hides the stairs where she takes me for naptime when we're out too long," he said, "she says it has a special spell over it so nobody can hurt me. She puts me there when Papa is super worried. We discovered it together."

"That's it," Snow said, "The Cave of Wonders has to be there."

"But it was Regina's spell that affected it," Sneezy said, "Wouldn't it… wouldn't… achoo! Wouldn't it make sense that she'd be able to get out of it."

"Not if Rothbart released the Cave of Wonders into it," one of the fairies said, "Rothbart's magic is far more powerful than anything we've ever encountered. He would be able to corrupt the queen's magic for his own purpose."

Snow was surprised to hear so many words coming out of Nova's pink lips. It had been a long time since she saw the fairy. In fact, the curse had yet to be broken when last they met. She was surprised that Grumpy and Nova were even in the same room. Neither had been able to so much as gaze longingly towards the other since the curse broke all those years ago.

The princess silently wondered when they were allowed to be together instead of apart.

"So we go there," Charming said, "We find Regina and we bring the fight to Rothbart."

"It's called the cave of Wonders," Grumpy said, "I'm no dummy. I know full well that anything behind those rock walls could be some of the most powerful magic of all."

"And according to Aladdin only a certain person can enter," Happy pointed out, "We may not be able to get in once we find it."

"That's just a chance we have to take," Snow said, "Because we have a lot of lives at stake if we don't stop him now. Charming, go to Robin's camp and prepare the men. Whatever Rothbart has planned isn't going to wait very long. Grumpy, you and the dwarves will be with me. Nova…"

"Don't worry Princess," the fairy said, "Fawn and I will take good care of the little ones. Blue even put a protection spell on the house so we can call her if we need her. Roland and the baby will be fine."

At this Henry turned towards his grandmother with a look of absolute confusion. He pulled Roland tight to his hip and gave her a very impressive growl. Then his fingers sifted through the young boy's curls in possessive need for comfort.

"What about me?" He asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Oh you're coming with me," Snow said, "I need you to get us in there."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Her reaction was that of more confusion. She gave him a reply, a brief explanation of the events as she remembered. The beans were scorched. Neal was engaged to some woman. A stranger was in Storybrooke. Belle had regressed to memories of her cursed life.

"And Regina is trying to destroy us," she finished.

David sighed. Her story correlated perfectly with Regina's. His wife too had memories of only the year the curse was broken and no more. She too was unaware of Neverland or her rekindled friendship with Regina. She only knew The Evil Queen and…

David smiled. Then that smile twisted and turned into a riotous laugh. His belly chuckled with the force of wonderful emotion erupting out of his lips. His wife gave him a look of concern.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked.

"Because," he said, "you were with Regina when this all began."

His wife's frown once again deepened. Her bottom lip puckered in confusion. Her hands went to her hips. She shook her head and tried to make sense of it all.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, "David, you're scaring me. Are you alright? You didn't hit your head, did you? You were saying something about Neal missing… what was that about?"

"Neal is our son," David replied, "and you don't remember him."

Mary-Margaret blinked.

"We don't have a son, David," she said, "I would remember if I had a son. And why would I name him after Henry's father? If anything I would name him Leopold or something equally d… um, important."

"But we do," he said, "And we decided to name him Neal when Henry's father sacrificed himself for the rest of us."

"Sacrificed himself," Mary-Margaret said, "What do you mean sacrificed? Is… is he dead?"

David nodded. His wife simply gasped. Her hands went to her lips and tears sprang to her green eyes. Her right hand fell to her heart when next she spoke.

"Poor Henry," she said, "Is he alright?"

"It was a long time ago," David said, "He's forgiven Zelena for her role in his death."

"Zelena?" Mary-Margaret gaped, "David, who the hell is Zelena? And where is Henry? Emma… is Emma alright? I know she loved him but…"

"Emma's fine," David smiled, "She's with Hook now. Zelena is… well, she's the wicked witch-"

"The wicked witch? Like of the west? As in green skin and broom stick?"

David shrugged and nodded.

"Well not anymore now that she's no longer jealous of her sister…"

"Her sister?" Mary-Margaret's cheeks grew red with her fluster, "The witch of the east is real too?"

David's stomach dropped. He felt his hands grow sweaty in anticipation. His mind buzzed with the pros and cons of so much information being displayed. He shrugged his shoulders and dived right on in with the terrible news.

"Zelena is Cora's eldest daughter," he said, "and Regina's long lost sister."

His wife's reaction was surprisingly predictable now. Her green eyes blew wide with horror. She bit her bottom lip. She bowed her head in deep concentration. Then her head popped up and she delivered two narrowed green eyes in his direction.

"Regina has a sister who also happens to be the wicked witch of the west," she said, "and she killed Henry's birth father and Rumpelstiltskin didn't kill her in retaliation?"

David nodded again.

"Well then where's Henry and Emma?" She asked, "I don't see their stuff anywhere. What's going on? They're not in trouble are they?"

David winced.

"I think you need to sit down for this."

An eyebrow hoisted high into the hairline was his only reply.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

David was off as soon as Snow gave him the order. The dwarves were packed and ready to go in half that time. All it took was a simple negotiation with Roland, a promise to return with his big brother and the queen all before the day is done.

It was a struggle after that.

Finding the waterfall proved more difficult a task than originally anticipated. Knowing the town as well as he did, Henry was able to remember the trail that led to it but when it came to the actual moment for wandering off the beaten track the teen couldn't remember. Snow tried to bring comfort whenever possible but she knew how frustrated the young author was growing.

It didn't help that the dwarves had comments of their own.

"How much further?" Happy always asked, "Are we bringing the right equipment?"

"I'm al-all-allerg-achoo! Allergic to that," Sneezy always said.

"Do you think we can take a moment to rest?" Doc couldn't help but say.

Then Dopey would get lost so they would have to once again go in search of the meandering dwarf. Snow could tell it was getting on Henry's last nerves. It was even getting on her nerves and she was used to the constant questions and banter.

Bashful was always the one who seemed most put out with the constant traveling.

"Are-are-are there g-g-gonna be any t-t-terrible m-m-m-mmm-monsters?" He would always ask.

Finally Henry had had enough.

"That's it!" He cried, "I'm calling mom and Robin and the rest of you can go home!"

"Henry," Snow admonished.

She was going to say more. She even opened her mouth to say something filled with hope she was certain would have her grandson rolling his eyes exactly like both of his mothers. But her voice failed her when she looked into his eyes. His soulful amber brown eyes were sparkling with unshed tears again. His face was nearing a radish shade of red. It wouldn't be long before he exploded under pressure exactly as Robin had.

"I think it's time for a break," she said.

The dwarves whistled in agreement only too happy to relieve themselves of their weapons and loads. Grumpy even monitored their water intake. His left hand unconsciously pushed back the few bottles of water they brought for the queen. He supervised the dwarves and gave her a careful nod in the teen's direction.

Snow smiled gratefully.

She turned towards her fuming grandson only to find Henry stubbornly walking forward. She quickly latched onto his shoulders and pulled him back before he could wander too far away. The author struggled for all that he was worth but his strength was still nothing compared to Snow's. The princess had never been more grateful for her time as a bandit than that very moment.

"Henry," she said softly, "It will be alright."

"It won't," the teen replied, "She's going to die and it's because of me."

Snow frowned. She could remember several cases where Henry had been in similar or worse situations. Never once had he blamed himself in any of those. He was always full of belief that good would win in the end that their family would always find each other.

Now he was a sullen mess of teenaged hormones. His hands were now permanently held in fists. His amber gaze was murderous at best. He kept sucking away at that trembling bottom lip, hoping to dispel his clear need to cry.

So the princess pulled her grandson into a tight hug and refused to let ago until she felt him relax. She rubbed soothing circles into his back, whispering words of love and hope. Then she gently rocked back and forth in time with the soft warm breeze flittering through the trees. If she closed her eyes she could almost smell the Enchanted Forest once more.

But Snow White was not in her native land nor was she allowed the privilege of getting side track.

"Regina's not going to die," she said, "Not even Hades could do it and he's the God of Death. What makes you think you're so special?"

"I can't remember," Henry said, "and it's my fault."

His bottom lip trembled again but he bravely batted the feelings away. He looked away for a moment huffing and puffing his ever growing chest. He looked so much like his adoptive mother then. It made Snow laugh. She could almost perfectly remember anytime her father pointed out those same traits blooming in her.

"I know exactly where she took Roland," Henry said, "but I can't remember how to get there because I haven't been back there since Emma broke that stupid curse!"

Snow blinked. Her grandson had never before displayed such a desire to return to before the curse was broken. He was the only reason she and Charming were reunited, the only reason Emma knew who she truly was. If it wasn't for his desire to break the curse and save everyone in Storybrooke, half their family tree wouldn't be together as it was.

"And now Mom's going to die all because I didn't believe she loved me," Henry finished in despair.

He couldn't stop the tears now. Even at sixteen years old he was still too young to go through something so horrific. For Henry this was the first time he ever truly faced the prospect of never having his mom, the woman who raised him from baby to young man, leave him behind for good. His belief was running low and his hope was practically gone.

Snow quickly reached out to wipe the tears away from his chiseling cheeks. She made certain he met her eye for eye and gave him a big goofy grin. She watched his forehead crinkled into a deep 'v'.

"This is not your fault, Henry," she said, "We've all made costly mistakes in regards to Rothbart. And you know from your book that Charming and I have faced far dire situations than this and still made it on top. Your mother is going to be fine."

He opened his mouth to argue but she was quick to interrupt.

"You and I both know your mother," she said, "She's too stubborn to let something simple as lack of water or confinement bring her down. She's a survivor and we shouldn't lose hope so easily. We'll find her and do you want to know why?"

The teen nodded eager for anything to restore his belief and bring back hope.

"Because we have you," she said, "and you have the heart of the truest believer. Without you none of us would even stand a chance."

A gentle smile began to creep its way onto the young teen's face. Henry Mills burst into an unexpected giggle and quickly moved to cover it up. When the giggle refused to be tamed he unleashed with a big huff of air. He nodded his head and quickly moved to repack his stuff.

Snow moved away to take her own break. She too had been consumed with worry and frustration on their journey. She wasn't used to following and she certainly hated waiting. It was always her biggest flaw, her lack of patience on things that truly mattered. So she grabbed her canteen and kindly ignored that prickling in the back of her spine, the fear that they were already too late and Rothbart had won.

"I found it!" Henry screamed.

The princess had no more than turned around before she watched the teenaged author disappear in the tree line. She was quick to follow without a second thought. She was vaguely aware of her pack still laying on the path but she didn't care. Henry was running and she could barely keep up.

She followed the teen behind a heap of bushes of various shapes and colors. Some were blood red and snatched away at her elbows while others were the familiar ferns that barely snagged her ankles. Tree branches rushed to pull at her hair and scratch at her face. Still Snow White refused to stop.

Henry was in a hurry. He turned around corners in a seemingly random path. The foliage that wasn't overgrown showed no path or source of worn travel. Sometimes a few small boulders stuck out from the ground and forced the princess to watch her step a bit more mindful.

Then just as suddenly as it began so too did it stop. No trees stood in the way. No bushes or brambles hindered the foot. There were only rocks. Rocks strewn about in various shapes and sizes in a path perfectly parallel to the one they'd been traveling all along.

"It's the old riverbed," Henry said, "That's why I couldn't remember. I just needed to stop and study the trees. Look… Maple leaves."

It was true. Snow couldn't help the bubble of laughter from exploding from her throat at the image. Five pointed leaves in the shape only identifiable to a maple tree were strewn all about. They were hanging from the branches of the trees they belonged and lining the riverbed as if planted there by a professional. Their gentle shade hovered over the riverbed and stretched to reveal its intended path.

And the sound of distant running water.

Snow and Henry shared twin smiles. They quickly rushed towards the source of their hopes and dreams. The light pattering of heavy footsteps told Snow White that the dwarves were already hot on their tail. It wouldn't be long until they found…

"There!" Henry called.

The teen was already pointing as he climbed towards slightly softer land. Snow struggled to keep up stunned to find a magnificent water feature trickling down from a bridge of rock and tree. Strange white flowers with a silvery glow lined the banks while giant white and orange coy fish swam to and fro.

Moss covered every tree around them. The grass even appeared much greener and full of life here. Birds were singing. It was as though light magic lived within the falls themselves.

Henry rushed towards the flowing water, his hand eagerly shooting out to feel the cool droplets on his skin. He carefully twisted and turned his fingertips in the water. A loud boom of laughter shot from his lips.

Relief filled Snow White's heart. She couldn't help but smile at the joy on her grandson's features. A loud pounding of feet filled her ears. She raised her left hand to keep the dwarves from disturbing this moment of bliss. The teen deserved a moment to remember happier times.

"Hey," Henry said, "I don't remember this."

Snow took the invitation as was. She raced forward and peered over the author's shoulder. Imprinted among the stone of the falls was the image of a lion, a lion reared for battle.

"That's just like Robin's," Henry said.

Before Snow could even dare stop him the teen was already touching the image etched in stone. A blast of hot air sent them both falling backwards. The waterfall parted ways. The coy disappeared from their happy swimming. Then the rock began to shape and mold itself into something new and completely different.

A face began to form. Eyes filled with white light grew into giant saucers. A nose grew into a great, terrifying muzzle. Teeth the size of a full grown man popped out of a rocky jaw. Two round ears turned the face into the very image of some giant cat. The moss turned and twisted until the cat became the head of a lion, mouth opened wide to devour its prey.

"Who dares disturb my slumber?" It said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"What do you mean Henry's missing?"

As far as reactions go, David was pleased to note his wife's wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

"What have you been doing all this time?" Mary-Margaret snarled, "We need to form a search party. He could be hurt or worse and we'll never know. Do we even know where he was when he went missing?"

The questions continued on and on. There was no break, only hysteria. Mary-Margaret was anything but calm. Her arms flittered up and down in the air. Her lips raced a mile a minute. Her feet paced the length of the loft again and again. There was no pause, no moment to breathe and take it all in.

There was only panic.

"What if he's hurt, David?" She asked, "What if he's out there alone and broken and believing we don't love him enough to find him?"

David stopped her there. He latched onto her floundering fingertips and brought them to rest on his steady, beating heart. His blue eyes peered deep within her green glassy gaze. His forehead touched hers and the world fell away for a bit.

"No," he said, "Don't ever think that. Henry is the Truest Believer. He knows we're searching for him and he's probably telling stories to his uncle and siblings about how hard their family is looking for them. Robin's keeping them safe, I swear it."

"Siblings?"

David breathed a heavy sigh. He had forgotten. For a moment during his wife's panic he focused on her and not on the facts. She, like Regina, had no memory of the last few years. She had no idea about the mayor's redemption nor the deputy's. Mary-Margaret had no idea about Robin Hood.

"Roland and Cora," the sheriff said.

Mary-Margaret's green eyes blinked furiously. She stepped back, mouth agape. Her right hand flew from her lip to her heart and back again. She frowned in confusion before uttering more words.

"Cora," she said, "as in…"

"Regina's mother," David nodded, "Regina picked it because it had meaning to Zelena and she figured it would bring her hope to change."

"Change?" Mary-Margaret asked, "Hope? What are you talking about? Why would Regina care about the names of Emma's children?"

David bit his lip to keep from cursing. The battle was swiftly lost when he saw the concerned gaze in his wife's eyes. A soft gasp of alarm issued from her lips and her thoughts voiced themselves before anything could prevent it.

"Is Emma dead?" She asked, "Is that why Regina would care? Why would we even trust her with our grandchildren, David?"

"She's not dead," David said, "Emma's not dead. She's actually trying to find Henry right now."

"David, what's going on?" Mary-Margaret whispered, "What aren't you telling me?"

The hopelessness in her voice sent shivers down his spine. The sheriff could feel the very blood in his veins freeze with her despair. He quickly put his palm on her beautiful face, an act of soothing bravery to the tumultuous storm within. He took a moment to breathe her in.

"Regina's true love Robin Hood is missing with their children Roland and Cora," he said.

Mary-Margaret's eyes grew wide in fright. A gasp issued forth from her lips. A wavering hand zoomed up to stifle the sound. Tears glistened in her wonderful green eyes. Her mouth closed and her throat bobbed with her swallowing emotions.

"That's impossible," she said, "Regina can't have children."

David nodded.

"She adopted Roland and Cora shortly after Robin came back."

"Came back?" She gasped, "Came back from where?"

David hedged on the details. How did one explain traveling from eternal non-existence into the land of the living? That whole soulmate thing really was confusing.

"It's… complicated," he said.

Her left eyebrow shot to the hairline once more. She opened her mouth to speak the words were on the very tip of her tongue. But a soft knock on the door interrupted everything. Both husband and wife turned in time to find their loft door opening to reveal the infamous Killian Jones.

"Bloody Hell," he said, "That's good news."

He stepped forward ready to give Mary-Margaret a hug. The smile on his face was blinding. His hook gleamed in the florescent light. But Mary-Margaret had other ideas.

Her green eyes went wide with fright. She stepped back head swishing about, searching for a weapon. She finally fell onto a frying pan. She raised it well above her head ready for attack.

"Don't come any closer!" She screamed.

David was quick to step between them. His hand was outstretched to calm and comfort his far too confused wife. He kept his blue eyes glued to her and her increasing frown.

"What did I do?" Killian asked.

"What do you want, pirate?" Mary-Margaret asked.

Killian's look of confusion mirrored the found missing woman.

"Mary-Margaret it's okay," David said, "Killian's a friend."

"A friend?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"I'm also courting your daughter," Killian couldn't help but add, "We're true love and all that."

David flinched at the deputy's words. He watched as Mary-Margaret's green eyes grew too big for her face to take. Her lip turned into a pursed 'o' and her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She turned those giant green eyes her husband's way as if looking for a confirmation to the joke. He shrugged in reply.

"We did go to Hell to get him back for her," he said.

The frying pan fell to the floor, a loud resounding thud echoing throughout the building.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Who dares disturb my slumber?"

"Um… My name's Henry… I-"

"Only the diamond in the rough may enter my chambers!" The lion said, "Whom are you to ask for such privilege?"

Snow cringed at the hot air issuing from the bizarre creature. The dwarves had armed themselves during the scuffle to regain footing and mind. Now pickaxes and Dopey's pepper spray were pointed at the rocky lion head, eager to protect the princess and her grandson.

Still Henry seemed immune to logical fear of any kind. He stepped forward with his head held high. He forced his shoulders back and tried to make his posture as perfect as possible. Snow struggled to stand behind him, a reassuring force to provide him whatever courage he needed.

"I'm Henry…" the author repeated, "Zelena's my aunt. She said that…"

"I know who you are Henry of the Mills, son of savior and queen," the lion said, "Heir apparent of Queen Snow and royal child of the King of Fantasia. What right have you to seek the diamond's treasure?"

"Diamond…" Henry frowned and Snow found herself equally puzzled, "What diamond? What treasure?"

"That what you seek cannot be easily found," the lion spoke, "Only the lion king can lay claim to the queen's soul. What right have you to lay claim to that already taken?"

An eerie silence followed the lion head's words. Snow found herself gripping tight to her grandson's shoulder. Her mind was awhirl with thoughts and stories from long ago. She remembered a tale of the lion king she was certain of it. He was a lost king of that she could be certain. But the details seemed illusive to her now when they were already so close.

"Queen?" Henry whispered then he turned and spoke a little louder, "Do you mean my mom? Do you mean the Evil Queen Regina?"

"Evil no more and thus no longer your queen," the lion spoke, "But queen for another awaiting such claim. Do you provide it or will you fail as all before you have?"

"The treasure's my mom!" Henry exclaimed.

He turned around and enveloped Snow into his arms. He gave her a thump on her shoulders before squeezing her again. The princess felt a warm fuzziness envelope her bones. Then she suddenly understood Henry's thoughts.

"Which means the diamond is Robin Hood!" Henry said, "I'm his stepson… well, almost. The only way I can save him is with my mom."

Henry then turned around excitement on his features. Snow felt herself being pulled forward. She gently squeezed the warm hand in her palm and tried to smile through her fear. The teen had them pressed close to the lion head's rocky lips. Beyond the bouncing uvula and salivating tongue lay not darkness but a strange yellow flame that seemed to grow bright the more she looked at it.

"Please," Henry said, "I need your help. I have to save my mom. She's the only one who can save Robin Hood."

"Proceed," the lion head said, "But remember touch nothing. Only what you seek is yours to find. Do not touch the bow!"

The teen nodded his head and the dwarves nodded right along quite sharply. Snow gave her own gentle smile of gratitude and was spellbound to see the lion head dart his moss-covered tongue out towards them. A slight scream issued from the group before the tongue turned inward revealing a set of stairs encased in the bluest sapphire ever seen before.

"Okay," Snow looked to the dwarves to ensure her words were clear, "Henry goes first but everyone who follows needs to be careful… and stick together. Henry calls the shots here."

"And don't touch anything," Henry reminded softly.

Then the famous Snow White and her grandson the author entered the Cave of Wonders, dwarves and danger hot on their trail.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Mary-Margaret was thoroughly confused. That was the only explanation for her silence. There was no other reason for the spritely woman to be so still. She sat in the chair staring between the two men in absolute awe.

"So," she tried.

Her voice flittered away before any other words could be muttered. She looked down at her hands, frowning in careful thought. Her head shot up and she opened her mouth to try again. Her short raven locks shook ferociously. Her lips parted once more. Then they slammed shut and her head shook again.

Killian was the first to crack.

"Oh just spit it out already. We don't have time for questions and answers. We have to save my daughter!"

This time it was David who held the look of utter confusion. He and his wife both turned curious glances the deputy's way. The sheriff could swear he had never before seen Killian Jones looking so sheepish.

"Your daughter?" He asked.

"What daughter?" Mary-Margaret finished.

Her head tilted to the immediate left. Her green eyes narrowed in concentration. Her bottom lip fell between her teeth. David felt an awful tug on his stomach at the image. His forehead crinkled at the disturbed feeling.

"Ummm," Killian replied, "It's not what you think."

"You mean you don't have a secret love child randomly showing up in Storybrooke?" David asked.

He couldn't ignore the rib. It was too rare an opportunity. In the few weeks since waking up to missing children, this was the first opportunity they had for a laugh in quite a while. Besides, the return to normalcy could assist in jogging Mary-Margaret's memory.

"Um," Killian said, "have you tried to True Love's kiss on the woman. Perhaps that will jog her memory and save us all the trouble."

 _Ah_ , David thought in disbelief, _he's dodging the question. Apparently he wasn't supposed to mention that._

"Killian," David said.

The deputy flinched. It was a mighty rare occurrence when the sheriff and father of the other sheriff called him by first name. It was either Hook or Pirate and occasionally Jones when the mood struck. Never was the deputy called by his first name. It was a father's privilege after all.

"Don't tell Emma?" He begged.

David rolled his eyes. The only thing worse than his deputy having a daughter, would be keeping a secret from his daughter. The sheriff shook his head and looked to the heavens for answers.

"Speak pirate!" He said.

"So Emma and I did a little investigating with the girl," the deputy began…

"What girl?" Mary-Margaret asked.

Killian gave a huff of indignation at being interrupted. Then his ocean blue gaze took in Mary-Margaret's confused features. His face quickly softened before turning into an apologetic bow. His right hand combed through his hair before he looked to David for his cue.

"We have a new couple in Storybrooke," David said, "The girl… Odette Loche, she's free because we don't have any evidence that she was involved in the murder her boyfriend committed-"

"Brother actually," Killian said, "The thief's her brother. We discovered that this morning. Along with some other information that may suggest that Wood may be innocent."

"Wood?" Mary-Margaret asked.

David picked up a note of disdain in her voice. He frowned at that before realizing something heavily important.

"You were called to replace me on guard duty," he said.

Killian flinched again. He scrubbed the back of his neck before taking a huge gulp of air. His cocky grin enveloped his features.

"I called in a favor from the dwarves. One of them is watching him…"

"Which one?" Mary-Margaret asked, her voice a breathy mix of bliss and excitement. "You didn't put Sleepy in command did you?"

"No," Killian replied, "just the happy one and the one who can't stop sneezing. Seriously he should seek out the infirmary or apothecary, whatever it's called in this land. It's getting out of hand."

He smiled and waved his hook, eyebrows rising in jest. This time it was Mary-Margaret who rolled her eyes. She gave a breathy huff and crossed her legs. Her arms folded over her lap and her shoulders slouched with a heavy sigh. She looked up towards the ceiling, a mild look of disgust enveloping her features.

Then her posture suddenly corrected itself like the snap of a bow.

David noted all of this and felt that little piece of his stomach turn just a bit more. Something similar to dread began to grow in his heart. He felt it stutter and push away at his chest in distaste. He turned to the deputy and continued their conversation.

"So you have a daughter?" He said.

"Possibly," the deputy was quick to reply, "Not quite certain of that yet. For all I know you could have another member of your brood circling about."

David frowned at that. He silently begged the deputy to continue with his explanations. It was all the encouragement the man needed.

"Apparently the curse we thought was the curse… isn't actually the curse."

A heavy silence filled the room.

"What are you talking about, pirate?" Mary-Margaret asked.

David and Killian both looked at her in surprise. She looked equally dismayed by her little outburst. Her legs uncrossed and recrossed, movements stilted in embarrassment. She scratched the side of her head and tried to readjust her sweater more comfortably.

"I mean Captain?" She asked, "Uh… Captain Jones… What am I supposed to call you?"

"Hook is fine," Killian said, "considering we're strangers and all."

"So," Mary-Margaret paused for a moment before speaking once more, "what do you mean by the curse you thought was cast isn't the curse at all?"

Killian's small smile disappeared completely. A look of pure sadness fell upon his cocky features. He turned steely blue eyes David's way. The dullness of his eyes brought that jostling tingle in his stomach up a notch.

"The Dark Curse has once again been cast."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The cave was filled with darkness. No light penetrated and every step the group took plunged them further into darkness. There was no noise, no way to find their way around. Then just as suddenly as darkness took hold, so too did the light come.

It created a world of yellow heat that felt like its own mini sun. The walls were perfectly bare, blue rocks decorating every inch of caverns. The strangest object they found was a room full of sand.

"Hey," Grumpy said, "There's no way out of here."

Snow rolled her eyes on reflex alone. Of course it would be Grumpy who would notice the absolute worst thing first. Henry was still observing the walls. Her eyes were attracted to the sand and Grumpy the dwarf would notice the danger.

"The only way out is to try one of these doors," a voice said.

Henry and Snow spun around, searching for the source. Together they shared a look of absolute confusion. A harsh sound began to rattle through the cavern walls. The room shifted and the sand swirled. A great vibrant earthquake overpowered everything else. Rocks slid and fell from the ceiling above forcing Sneezy and Bashful to grab Dopey and run for their lives.

The cavern walls parted to reveal two door firmly planted in the middle of their path. There was no wall for them to hang upon. One door was blue surrounded by two knights wearing a too familiar lion crest. The other was red and held the same crest. Every time a dwarf tried to cross two swords swung out in perfect mirror. It was clear no entry could be made.

"One of the doors leads to certain death," the voice continued, "but the other door leads you to your prize."

Snow blinked. She was surprised to find herself facing the blue knight who belonged to said voice. It was a bit lower than the first voice and held no irritating whine. But before the princess could even think of asking a question, the red knight opened its mouth to speak.

"Choose wisely," it said, "for while one door only speaks the truth, the other tells nothing but lies."

"Only one question can be asked," the blue knight said, "Choose your words carefully or death is sure to follow."

Snow had absolutely no idea what would happen. She wasn't even certain of the answer to the question. Rather, the question to which they needed the answer. But Henry was frowning, deep in concentration.

"Do you trust me?" The young author suddenly asked.

His giant amber eyes were pointed directly towards his grandmother. He refused to look away and there was an air of importance about him. Snow White simply smiled and shook her head. With her vote of confidence the teen turned back to the doors. He walked straight for the blue door and spoke.

"Answer yes or no," Henry said, "Would the other guy tell me this door leads me to the queen?"

"Yes," the door said.

"Then it's the other door," Henry said, "I remember this riddle from a movie. It's Mom's favorite. That's where Rothbart got the idea. The answer is that this door leads us to certain death and the other one leads us to her. Come on!"

He opened the door with all the excitement of a teenaged boy. He led the dwarves and reignited the hope they were desperate need of. Snow couldn't help but feel proud of her grandson's achievement.

But the door was not the last obstacle in their way. For there in the middle of this grand cavernous room of sapphire, amethyst and ruby stood a single bow encased in moonlight. Its elegance was in the design.

It held two beautiful crescents on either side of its glowing grip, a grip whose color kept changing from red to blue as if at constant war with itself. The arrow rest too seemed indecisive in nature. It kept glistening purple before alternating between red and blue, though blue was definitely winning as the color that stayed longest.

The belly was modeled after the crescent moon. Silver sparkles enveloped every inch and gave the whole bow an exotic glow as if pulled from the very moon it resembled. The string lay loose upon the moonlit stand underneath.

Snow found herself drawn to it just as David had been to the crown all that time ago. Her left hand, the treacherous being that it was, shot out to gently caress the cherry oak finish of the lonesome column. A right hand both familiar and foreign stopped her hand's journey in its tracks.

"Remember what the lion said," Henry said his face filled with worry and warning, "Do not touch the bow."

The princess felt heat rise to her cheeks in embarrassment but her kind grandson just smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze. He pointed his chin to his right and Snow's gaze followed. There was the door they were looking for.

"Together," Snow said.

Henry smiled at her and agreed wholeheartedly. They walked with their arms linked. Henry opened the door and motioned her forward, ever the gentleman. But the princess's heart stopped when her eyes went away from her darling grandson and instead landed on someone else entirely.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"So Odette Loche," David said, "The girl who waltzed into Storybrooke suddenly… you think she's your daughter?"

"I think that," Killian said, "Emma has her doubts but you have to admit there are some strong similarities between the girl and the rest of this family."

The deputy was pacing about the loft. His tread marks were imprinting themselves wholeheartedly into the floorboards. Mary-Margaret watched his movements like a hawk. Every flicker of his wrist, every careful steady step of his foot; she knew and made note of it all.

David felt that annoying tug in his stomach again. She was being far too cautious compared to her usual optimism. It was usually he who was quick to doubt a person's intentions and he went on a blind mission with Killian in Neverland in search of a cure that almost forced him to stay in that hellish place forever.

He knew something was wrong. Perhaps he was being overly paranoid. He knew his wife. He had met her when she trusted no one and stole for her own survival. Considering she had no memory of Neverland or the events that led up to it, perhaps it was understandable that she would be so cautious.

"But what does that mean?" David asked, "If the girl is telling the truth then who is Annie Hart? How was she able to enter? Isn't the curse supposed to only allow people from the Enchanted Forest in?"

"Not just the Enchanted Forest," Mary-Margaret was quick to supply, "Remember that many other lands have fallen under the curse because of Regina. You mentioned that wicked witch is here, right?"

David nodded.

"Well wouldn't it make sense that people from Oz are here as well?" She asked, "And if this Rothbart character is truly a formidable opponent as you say… who's to say what other realms he cursed in his thirst for revenge."

"Well that's the thing," Killian said, "If the girl is speaking the truth… we just locked up an innocent man. An innocent man who happens to be family."

"And if Rothman is the villain," David said, "We have no way of getting him free without breaking the curse."

A simple tune suddenly enveloped the space between them. Killian was swift to remove his cell from his pocket. He clicked the on button without sparing it a glance. The phone went to his ear and his blue eyes cracked wide in fright.

"You're never gonna believe this, love," he said.

David frowned. His arms went from being wrapped around his torso to his sides. His palms turned into steady fists. He stepped forward in hopes of hearing his daughter's voice on the other end of the line. Instead all he could hear was the deputy.

"We're talking to your mother right now."

His wife's lips tilted upward in a strange sort of smile. Her mouth gaped just a bit. Her eyes glinted with a hint of cunning darkness. She peered up at the deputy from her perch on the chair. Her hands were perfectly clasped in her lap.

But she made no move to hear her daughter's voice.

"Is he alright?" Killian asked.

That snapped Mary-Margaret out of her bizarre stupor. She rose to her feet and stepped forward eagerly awaiting news of whomever was cause for such concern. Her hand was almost hesitant as it flew through the air. She reached out to gently touch Killian's wrist.

"Is who alright?" She asked.

"No Swan," Killian said, "Your mother's memories aren't on par with the rest of us… Yes, it could be the curse responsible. We think she was with Regina when this all happened. Her responses matched hers almost perfectly. We'll try that while you stay… Alright Swan I'll see you shortly."

Apparently she hung up the phone before he could even finish. He gave them both an apologetic smile. His hand worked hard to put the phone back into one of his many hidden pockets.

"Well get on with it, pirate," Mary-Margaret ordered, "Who's hurt? Did she find Henry?"

"Robin Hood," Killian replied, "She and Odette… they found him in Zelena's basement."

"So she is the one who cast it," David groaned.

It explained far too much. Zelena had clearly went off the wagon again and this time she succeeded. And Robin Hood's state would certainly explain why Regina was acting so weird.

"She didn't give me time to explain the state of her mother so…" Killian pointed between the two, "Let's give True Love's kiss a try, yeah?"

David stepped forward to do just that. It was his wife who backed away. There was a slight look of panic in her green eyes. She looked between the two men and slowly bit her bottom lip.

"Are we sure it will even work?" She asked, "I mean if it's the dark curse like you say it is… It may not even work… and we should be looking for Henry. Not to mention checking to see if there's any proof to this Odette's story… Who is this Annie Hart anyway? Maybe she's working for this Lord Roth-"

David's lips connected with hers before she could even think of finishing her sentence. It was then that he understood what his gut was telling him. The kiss was good, but it was wrong. There was no hunger behind it. No heat. He didn't see stars and these particular lips certainly weren't as soft as they should have been.

This was not his Mary-Margaret.

David used the kiss to initiate a new tactic. His hand went from this imposter's cheek to her throat in seconds flat. Before she could even push him away he had her pinned into the dining room table. The area between thumb and pointer finger worked to press down on the imposter's windpipe, thoroughly restricting all types of air from entering those lying lungs.

Hazily he heard Killian shout, "Bad form mate."

"Who are you?" He demanded.

The imposter began to laugh an ugly horrible thing. It was a soft chortle of victory as raven hair grew and waved. Green eyes faded away into a darker, browner color. Pink cheeks turned to rose. Porcelain skin darkened to olive tones. A beauty mark appeared on the lower left side of her chin.

"Regina?" David gasped.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina lay in a vicious heap among rocks and other far less comfortable things. She wore a dress of midnight blue, cuffs of platinum and a surprisingly modest neckline. Her hair was loose in gentle waves, though sticks and dust clung to every inch of her.

She had a halo of rocks and lay far too still. Snow was careful when she approached. She paused as a loud cracking sound filled the room. She looked down only to discover a full bowl of water sloshing back and forth near her feet. She frowned at the untouched water, watching as the spilt water forced itself back into the bowl.

The princess turned away from the odd display to observe the true target of their journey. She raised her hand to take away some of the strands obscuring the queen's beautiful face. A puff of air and the up-down motion of her chest proved Regina was still breathing if nothing else. But as Snow White wiped away the raven locks she began to notice a change in the older woman.

Her face was younger now, not by much but enough to imply the number of years between them was fewer than the truth would suggest. Upon her head sat a platinum crown in the shape of peacock feathers. She was pale and didn't even stir when Snow continued brushing the hair from her face.

"Regina," she said softly, "We're here to rescue you."

Snow gently shook the older woman's shoulder hoping to prod her gently into wakefulness. Henry walked forward and joined with his own special touch.

"Mom," he said, "It's me… It's Henry. Wake up."

Regina's head tilted up but it seemed she was unable to really hear them at all. Henry shook harder and Snow found herself reaching her own canteen. She closed her eyes against the influx of curses flying through her mind. Her canteen was in her pack and that was now long gone.

"Henry, hand me your canteen. Zelena said the water was poisoned. It's been too long. She hasn't had a drink of water since she left. She's dehydrated."

The teen handed it over greedily begging his mother to wake. Carefully the princess tipped some water on the queen's parched lips. She parted dry cracked lips to get more water down the older woman's throat. Then she shook her shoulder to get the queen more aware of her surroundings.

"Regina!" Snow called.

"Mom, wake up!" Henry begged.

But the woman wouldn't budge. Her breathing began to shallow. Raven hair sloshed back, taking the crown and queen's head with it. Her face began to take on a more pale composition. Her lips started turning a sick shade of blue.

"Mom, please!" Henry cried, "You're free."

It worked. Brown eyes snapped open in alarm. Her pulse quickened just enough. Red began to tint her cheeks. She blinked a few times attempting to remove her eyeballs' glassy haze.

"Henry?" she said sounding fairly confused, "Snow… what?"

"No time," Snow said, "We found you and you're safe now."

"How?" Regina began, "No… this is a trick. Zelena doesn't… doesn't want me t-t-to die."

"No mom," Henry replied, "We're real and we're taking you home. You're free."

"No Emma," Regina chuckled humorlessly, "Robin's gone. Let me sleep."

For the first time in history, Regina Mills resisted her son. She pulled her arm from his gentle grasp and sank lower onto her rocky bed. She looked ghostly white in such devastation.

"It seems she does not wish to leave."

The voice alone was a shock to the system. Snow White lunged for her grandson. Her fingertips only just managed to lose their grip on Henry. The boy was ripped from her side by the evil scum known as Lord Rothbart. Red tendrils of smoke disintegrated and reappeared by the madman's side.

"Let us make certain she never does," Rothbart said.

Snow tried to lunge towards the man. Every muscle ached to rip his smiling lips off. But try as she might her body didn't move. She fought and fought against some sadistic force. It kept squeezing every inch of her, breathing impossible to perform.

"What," Snow White wheezed, "did you do to her?"

"She refused to drink the water," Rothbart said, shrugging in indifference. "She thought I would dare poison her."

Snow pelted her body forward only to feel wicked darkness push her back. Ice was the only thing her body could feel. Her skin started to hurt from the piercing cold. Her fingers and toe went numb. She felt her body fight the magic just to shiver. Her exposed hands turned blue.

"Stop!" Henry begged, "You'll kill her."

 _That's the idea_ , Snow thought mournfully.

"Mom," Henry screamed, "Mom, Help!"

That did it. Regina's chocolate eyes let up. Her body pelted forward, panic the only thing on her features. A tiny hiss of pain issued from her lungs.

"Henry," the queen rasped, "Snow… Roth-Rothbart, please… Let… Let them g-… go."

"They tried to steal you away from me," the madman said, "after I promised the thief the boy would live. You do not break a deal with me! He has to pay."

"I'll marry you!"

With the incoming dread of those three words, the ice receded from Snow White. The princess's body sprang back to life. Breath once again filled her lungs. Henry found his way into her arms, providing much needed comfort and warmth.

And Regina still promised herself away.

"I'll marry you," she said, "please just… just let th-th-them go."

Her voice trailed away into nothingness. She kept swallowing to supply her throat with moisture. The queen's head kept tilting and bobbing in different directions. Her eyes drooped. Her shoulders slouched. Her hands kept gripping at the wall to keep her upright.

"Pl… pl-please," the queen begged.

She shifted forward with a smirk meant to be seductive. Her shoulders straightened to expose her clavicle to the madman's hungry eyes. The queen stepped forward with a leisurely pace. Her hips swayed from side to side distracting Rothbart from the small stumbles the queen made.

Regina raised her right hand and used her pointer finger to trace the delicate etchings on the man's tunic. She was playful as she traced the lion and moved upwards. Her glassy chocolate eyes crossed for a moment before she gave a cheeky grin and leaned ever closer. Her thumb went to the man's jaw and in an instant her palm was petting the scruff on left cheek.

"I choose you," she said.

Her voice was filled with confidence. Rothbart's hands were even glued to her hips exactly as planned. The queen grew bold and attempted to invade more personal space. She turned an unsteady fall into a graceful maneuver closer. Two noses brushed before the queen claimed the madman's lips.

Snow White forced Henry to look away. She pulled him tight to her chest and raised her hands to block his young eyes. She felt bile attempt to rise from her throat. But the princess forced herself to watch the display with a calculating mind. While her grandson was forced to hide away Snow looked for any sign of escape.

A smile fell to her lips when she found it. A single abandoned unicorn was mounted onto the wall not too far away from the couple making out like teenagers. Snow tapped her grandson's shoulder. She gently pointed to the mounted horn. A grin formed on Henry's face then his cheeks paled when took in what his adoptive mother was doing.

The pair pulled apart with a loud pop between their lips. Regina wore a happy smile plastered to her face as if that was the greatest gift ever known to man. She was gentle as she tapped her delicate fingers on his cheeks.

"That," Rothbart said, "Was incredible."

He opened his mouth to say more but his black eyes weren't distracted by the face. No the sorcerer chose to instead enjoy the shapely figure of the queen leaning heavily against him. His face went from one of pure pride to one of severe anger. His hand latched onto Regina's cheeks crushing them in his grasp. He forced the queen to stumble to her knees and observe the long, silver chain still wrapped around her anger.

"But this tells a different story," Rothbart growled.

He waved his hand carelessly in Snow White's direction, freezing the princess to the ground once more. The princess was forced to watch as the madman bent over the queen threateningly. His hand went to her raven hair, curling into it and tugging just enough to break through the woman's hazy gaze.

"This tells me that you still belong to him!" The madman cried, "Why will you not submit to me? I have destroyed my enemy. You should be mine. Why do you not belong to me? What must I do to lay claim upon you?"

Rothbart raised his left hand as if to strike the queen. Regina glared on and refused to even budge from her position. And Snow White smiled with pride.

"Because she doesn't love you!"

Henry Mills held the unicorn horn firm in his hand. He was quick to thrust its glistening point into the chain below. The chain fizzled into nothingness with nary a spark to symbolize its loss.

It was as if a bomb went off. Regina reacted on instinct alone. Her left hand shot out and Rothbart soared away. Vines climbed out of the rocky walls and pulled at the evil sorcerer until he was perfectly held tight. A simple swish of the queen's right hand and Snow White nearly fell from the lack of force pushing against her.

"Love is weakness," Rothbart said.

Those were his parting words for the sorcerer left in a puff of red smoke just as quickly. The vines wilted away and the door to Regina's tomb fell open. Seven bodies fell through in a giant rush to reach the three royals.

"Leroy?" Regina gasped.

"Your Majesty," Grumpy bowed.

The queen stepped forward as if to greet the group but never made it quite that far. Her single step turned into a turret of blue and platinum cloth. Regina fell to the floor in a giant heap nary a word of protest from her lips.

"Mom!" Henry screamed.

The fallen woman was surrounded in an instant. Water was shoved down her mouth without a moment of hesitation. The queen coughed and sputtered to life with every breath of the cool liquid.

"Sleep," she croaked.

Her chocolate eyes blinked as if to regain that moment of rest she wanted when they first arrived.

"We need to get her out of here," Snow declared, "She needs fresh air."

And off they went, carrying the queen through twisting corridors and endless tunnels. The dwarves raced through with their weapons raised for battle. Snow and Henry held the queen upright upon their shoulders. Her raven head lulled heavily in her son's direction.

"Hold on, Mom," Henry cried.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The sheriff pulled away in fear. His hand shook from the pressure he had applied to his wife's stepmother. He felt his heart race with adrenaline. His blue eyes looked to her brown in absolute horror.

"Relax dear Charming," she snarled, "It's not like I haven't been choked before."

David heard Killian swallow at the statement. The deputy stepped so he was much closer to the sheriff than before. His hand was already reaching for his sword, absent as always nowadays. His hook moved to point at the mayor before them.

Regina seemed unbothered by the frightened disposition. She simply shrugged her shoulders and fixed her clothes. She scowled at the creases in her once perfect pantsuit. Her brown eyes lit up as they caught sight of a lonesome red apple on the corner of the table. She grabbed it and bounced it in her palm.

"What are you doing here?" David asked, his voice less of a whip than intended.

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked, "I'm here to pay my dear… **friends** a visit."

The mayor gave a cruel wink at the word. She even had the nerve to roll her eyes at the word friends. She once again bounced the apple in the palm of her hand before taking a nice, juicy bite. She leaned against the table top as if she belonged there.

There was a pang in the sheriff's chest knowing she didn't remember that she did.

"Grabbing information from you imbeciles has proven far easier than I expected," she laughed.

She bounced the apple in her hand at a leisurely pace. Her dark eyes scanned the loft space with an urgent need of disdain. Her blood red lips puckered in disgust at the very image of the home before her.

Yet she made no move to remove herself from that kitchen table.

"Now," she said, "Where's my son?"

David almost snapped at her. He felt his temper bubbling towards the surface at an alarming rate. The only thing keeping him from snapping at the woman was the slight hitch to her voice. His ears caught that small hitch of breath and forced his mind into action. His blue eyes studied every inch of the mayor only to find something extremely horrible.

Her outfit hadn't changed. It was the same they saw when they arrested the thief. It was the same black blazer, the same silver blouse. Her black slacks still had that ridiculous mud stain on the left leg, a result of the skirmish in the woods. Her black stiletto heels were now ruined beyond repair. Still she wore them as regally as one of her ridiculous Enchanted Forest outfits.

There were bags under those too dark eyes. The sheriff couldn't help but note redness in them too. Her cheeks were looking a bit gaunt and pale. Her olive complexion was starting to reminisce the porcelain paint of the Evil Queen. Still the mayor looked ready to pounce should one word be misplaced.

"I won't ask again," she said, "What have you done with my son? What have you done with Rol… Henry. My son's name is Henry!"

The slip of the tongue surprised David to no end. He found his heart skipping a beat and that vicious hope ensnaring his chest. He stepped forward, arms raised in caution. Narrowed dark eyes shot to him with suspicion, but a single hint of chocolate began to stream through. Whatever the curse, Regina Mills was fighting for all she was worth.

"You're right," David said, "We have been hiding something from you."

"David," Killian's voice sounded full of warning. There was a soft tang of fear in the air. A slight shift of fabric on leather suggested the deputy was stepping forward as if to grab him and stop his pace. The sheriff waved him off and kept both blue eyes glued to Regina.

"We have been lying," he said, "We do know where Henry is."

"David," Killian's voice was sharper now.

"He's with Roland," David continued, "your five year old son, the one you adopted when Robin Hood… when the Merry Men asked you to take responsibility for him."

More chocolate filtered into those too dark eyes. Regina's face gained back some of the color lost. She even took a tentative step forward before remembering herself. She forced her head up and her spine to straighten. With those ridiculous heels she stood only two inches smaller.

"And he's with your daughter," David said, "Your niece that you adopted when Zelena begged you to take care of her… because she couldn't anymore. Remember?"

The mayor didn't. Her blank expression still remained. But her eyes were chocolate once again. They were soft and filled with something other than cold hatred. The sheriff could almost see the woman he'd only recently gotten to know.

The friend who was slowly becoming a sister instead of evil step-mother-in-law.

"Cora," he said, "You named her after your mother because you knew it meant something to Zelena. You thought it would make her happy, reconsider everything."

"I would never name my child after my mother," Regina replied.

Her voice was scorching and dripping with disdain. It was the elegant, regal façade of the Evil Queen he knew. But David Nolan could see a familiar glint sparkling in the mayor's chocolate eyes. He could see her inner fire. Regina was fighting to the surface for all she was worth and he would help her. For his family he would do anything.

"You didn't," he said, "Zelena named her Robin, after her father… but you decided on Cora when Robin Hood came back to you. It was so Zelena would know her child would never be without love. You wanted your daughter to always choose love, to fight for love-"

"And to die for it?"

Regina's chest was moving too quickly. Her chocolate orbs were desperately staring into his soul. The sheriff stepped into her personal space without missing a beat. His hands latched onto her shoulders and forced her to follow his breathing. Slowly the erratic breaths turned into a steady flow of inhalation and exhalation.

His left hand curled into her hair. He slowly pulled the mayor into a hug. He waited at the last minute, allowing her the right to choose to fully lay in his embrace. Her hands barreled into his chest but she did not push away.

"You're lying," she said.

Regina fisted the lapels of his shirt tightly in her grasp. She gasped and struggled against whatever was going on in her head. But her hands remained buried in his shirt and her surprisingly cool breath streamed on his collarbone.

"If I'm lying," David replied, "then why are you still here?"

This time he felt a small tremor on his chest. He looked down to find the mayor's small hands shaking horrendously. He fought to see her chocolate eyes only to find them dulling dramatically. She stepped back and he grabbed her shoulders in fear of losing her completely.

"I don't have a sister," she said, "I'm an only child."

"Cora lied to you," Killian replied.

His voice boomed like a hostile bullet on a rampage. His hook gleamed out of the corner of the sheriff's eye. It landed on his right shoulder and Killian Jones' hand found purchase on one of the struggling mounds of hand and cloth on his chest.

"Why?" Regina asked.

"Because she's a heartless witch!" Killian replied, "She erased the only memory you had of your sister just to make certain you could be queen. A fate you never wanted by the way! And because of it she nearly cost us all our lives including your and your dear Henry's!"

"Enough!" David called.

He turned his blue eyes towards the deputy and gave him a heated, steady glare. The mayor's mother was a sore subject to them all. That woman had cost them many years of peace and joy because of her mistakes. They would not spend a moment more dwelling on her and the pain she caused.

"Regina," he said keeping his voice quiet and calm, "Emma found Robin Hood. She found your true love… You can be happy again."

"No," Regina shook her head, "No, it's not… You're lying."

Still her fists remained. She made no move forward but no move back. She was at an impasse, unsure what to do and the confusion continued to flicker in her darkening eyes. David watched as Killian's hand squeezed hers until her grip grew lax. The deputy raised the mayor's hands to his lips and placed a gentle, comforting kiss.

"Look deep in your heart, love," he said, "You know we're right. You're family. And when family needs help-"

"You step up."

Regina's response was automatic. She looked almost completely unaware she said anything at all. But her forehead furrowed. She pushed away from the sheriff. Her head began shaking to and fro in quick succession. Her hands rose to her temples. The chocolate in her eyes dulled to darkness.

"I…" she tried, "I c-c-can't… No. This is a trick… this… it isn't real!"

Before David could even hope to stop the mayor's breakdown, the door slammed open. Regina Mills' cringing features turned into a face of pure hatred. The darkness took over everything. Flames sprouted from the mayor's fingertips and flew through the air.

Promptly she disappeared leaving behind curtains on fire and a trail of purple smoke.

"Dad?"

David shut his eyes in order to hide the plethora of emotions. He felt a soft body fly into his chest. He opened his blue eyes and found a face full of lush blonde locks. A tight grip around his shoulders informed him of his daughter's presence.

"I'm okay," he promised.

He looked to his right, wanting to say something to the deputy always at his side. The words caught in his throat as he found himself staring into bright blue eyes filled with far too many emotions. Emma had left the door flung open. Odette stood between the molding, her bright blue eyes fixed on the spot at the table where the mayor vanished. The slight glistening of tears alerted the sheriff to the emotions plaguing her.

"Wh… Was that…?" She asked.

"The queen," Killian nodded, "Yes. That was her."

Emma pulled back, alarm on her features.

"Mom?" She asked.

David shook his head.

"Regina just wanted information on Henry."

"Got a bit more than she bargained for," Killian said.

Emma's green eyes blew wide. She turned to her father and silently begged him to make everything okay. He wiped away some hair from her face. Gently, he placed a soothing kiss to her forehead.

"I don't think she did anything to your mother," he said, "She was just as confused as the rest of us."

"Your father almost brought her back to us, Swan," Killian said.

Before another word could be said a serious of loud beeps sounded. Pagers went off on three different persons. Phone screens lit up while two separate home phones called. Even the girl's silly watch began to stutter into life with obnoxious fervor.

"It's the hospital," Emma was first to her pager, "Robin's awake!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Hold on, Mom," Henry cried.

The rescue group of nine brought the queen into the awaiting sunlight, stunned by the seemingly quick escape from the cave of wonders. The setting sun left an odd orange glow to the surrounding forest. The soothing waterfall pattered down on the group, still standing because of the glaring light.

"Wh... where are we?" The queen coughed.

She stumbled on her breaths and struggled to lift her head away from her son's comfortable shoulder. Snow was the first to react when consciousness struck. She carefully held the queen under the waterfall hoping the water would awaken the queen enough until they got her to the hospital.

"Enough," Regina said.

She slapped the princess's hands away and scrambled to her feet. She managed to make it to the dry shore before her feet gave out again. It was Sneezy and Grumpy who caught her, each gently lowering her to the ground and waving canteens before her too pale face.

"I…" the queen sighed, "I can't. Please… just… give me a moment. Just a moment."

Her head drooped forward dangerously. Her chocolate eyes closed for a frightening moment. Snow jumped forward to offer help and support in any way she could supply it.

"Regina what do you need?" The princess asked.

"Magic," the queen replied, "I can't stop Rothbart… without… I'm too weak."

Snow watched the dwarves blink and gasp at the queen's admission. Grumpy opened his mouth to make a comment of some sort, probably sarcastic judging by the way his eyebrows rose to his hairline in a cheeky way. Sneezy even had a smirk planted on his lips. The princess shook her head before any damage could be done.

Her hand was gentle as it soothed circles into her step-mother's back.

"Mom," Henry said, "How can we help?"

He still held the unicorn horn in his hand. Snow couldn't help but smile at him as reassuringly as possible. She knew from experience how awful it was to see one's mother near death. She was simply glad to know this was not such a mortal situation.

Regina looked up towards her son with a small smile already on her features. Her chocolate eyes observed the teenager for probably the first time that day. Then said gaze grew wide as they caught onto the unicorn in plain sight.

"Henry," the queen said, "I want you to give me that horn and look away… What I am about to do is extremely dark magic and I'd rather you not see it."

The boy obeyed. He extended his right hand and turned away as if it was an everyday occurrence. He kept his eyes closed shut and turned fully when the queen grabbed ahold of the thin multicolored horn. Hesitance filled Regina's features. She turned towards Snow, her bottom lip buried deep beneath her teeth.

"This will hurt," the queen said, "Make certain he doesn't turn around."

Snow obeyed without question but regretted it immediately. The queen's screams echoed through the forest above the chirping birds and the descending waterfall. A bright searing pain filled the princess's back almost immediately after. She could feel something dark and sinister in the air but she refused to turn around. She kept her arms wrapped firmly around Henry's struggling form and waited until the command of safety was given.

"Snow," Regina's voice floated through the air, "Let him go."

The princess obeyed and the author turned around. A look of absolute anger on his face quickly turned to one of pure fear. Snow quickly spun around and stepped forward to protect the teen should she need to.

It was an unnecessary precaution.

Regina was now glowing. Every inch of her from sparkling gown to glimmer bare feet took on a white light that refused to fade. Her chocolate eyes no longer held their haze. Her cheeks were the familiar rose red and her skin now held their usual olive tone. A bright smile even dared to cross her no longer cracked lips.

"Leroy," the queen called, "I need you to take the other dwarves and go get help. The battle is in the Merry Men's camp."

The dwarves went into action without question. They began running through the woods, planning their chain of order. Snow watched as they were each engulfed in a trail of purple smoke. The princess spun back towards the queen a warning on her tongue.

"We don't have time," she said, "Snow, I need you to…"

Regina gasped and leaned forward, struggling to breathe for a moment. A drop of sweat powdered her brow and fell to the ground. Snow and Henry both moved to help but she waved them off softly.

"Get Roland," the queen ordered simply, "and go to the camp. Robin's in trouble. We might already be too late."

She swept her hand and Snow had no choice. She was surrounded in the comfort of purple smoke. Henry was by her side and the duo was transported to the mayor's mansion. Roland was in their arms in an instant and the calling out of Emma Swan began.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The mare ran at full speed. It thundered through the forest still the rider urged it to run faster. Fireballs shot out to light the path. The sun was almost completely set and the camp was still too far away. A large tree fell as if forced into their path. All hope was lost.

All hope was gained. The mare cleared the fallen tree and continued running. Magic coursed through its rider's hands and into every inch of the horse's trembling, frothy flank. The acrid smell of burning canvas and hair filled the air.

Regina landed in the Merry Men's camp with only one thing in mind: Robin Hood. Henry's expression told her everything. It was already too late. Robin's men were huddled in the corner of the campground. Snow was held close in Charming's arms. Tears streaked both Emma and Hook's faces.

"I'm too late," she said.

First Hook and Emma tried to keep her away. Then Little John too acted on behalf of his fallen friend. But they understood, they all understood.

She had to say good-bye.

Tears fell from the queen's eyes as she stared at the man lying on the ground. Robin Hood, her soulmate and one true love, lay seemingly lifeless on the ground. His chest refused to move and his angelic face was blue from death's thick embrace. His arm lay stretched out before him as if still waiting for the poison to corrupt his veins, his right wrist emblazoned with the crest of a proud rearing lion in stubborn black ink.

Her hand shot out to play with the errant dirty blond locks. She swept them away from his forehead almost able to feel the sweat on his brow. She leant forward with her heart full of love.

"Robin," the name was practically ripped from her lungs, "I love you."

A gentle kiss fell on his too blue lips. Then a gasped filled the air and Robin Hood was once again returned to her. The two embraced and a series of whoops and cheers filled the air.

"Papa!" Roland cheered, "Henry! She did it. Mama saved you!"

But the surprise and the happiness was short lived. A cloud of that blasted red smoke filled the air around them. The cheers were interrupted with a sneering demon of a man.

"Well," Rothbart said, "the false king is awake. What an interesting turn of events."

Robin was on his feet in an instant. He stood between the madman and his family, Regina rising to stand behind him with support. He couldn't help but note she was leaning a little heavily into him.

"What do you want, villain?" Robin growled.

Rothbart smiled at the tightly. He grandly waved his arms and gave a little bow. His black eyes bored into the image of Regina standing behind him. The sorcerer's scar twitched in jealousy.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked, "I want my happy ending. The one the queen promised me in the cave of wonders."

"Over my dead body," Robin said.

"That can be arranged," the madman replied.

"I challenge you to a duel!" Robin blurted.

He didn't think twice. He merely stepped forward and ignored everyone else. His anger did all the talking and he let it.

"You threatened my family," the outlaw continued, "I will do everything in my power to make sure you never do it again. So I challenge you Rothbart! You and I at sunset-"

"Right here. Three days' time," Rothbart said, "I want you to die in the middle of your camp. I accept your challenge but here are the stakes. Winner gets the queen and the crown she comes with. Either way the duel ends with the king of fantasia and the queen as his bride."

Robin felt anger seethe through his veins. He stepped forward with every intention of choking the life out of the madman before him. Instead a new voice entered the fray.

"Deal!" Regina said.

She stepped in front of the outlaw casually. Her hand shot out to accept on her soulmate's behalf. Rothbart smiled as if he had already won.

"Sunset in three days," he said.

He disappeared in a puff of bright red smoke.

The group erupted into chaos. Many voices were shouting from all angles. Henry and Roland were screaming to get to their parents. Emma and Hook were arguing with Little John about whether or not they should be allowed to pass.

But Robin Hood was by far the most furious. He barreled his way into Regina Mills like a steamroller. He grabbed her arm and yanked her into his chest. Their noses were touching and chocolate eyes were filled with just as much fire as blue.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He asked.

Regina opened her mouth to reply. Judging by the upward tilt of her lip she probably had a sassy comment too. But the queen had other plans instead. She collapsed into his arms and scrambled to pull herself up to no avail.

Robin held on for all he was worth. He felt the queen quaking in his arms. He instinctively rubbed his hand up and down her arm. He nuzzled his nose into her neck and felt the red hot heat of her skin.

"The water," Snow gasped, "We need to get her to the hospital now. David, call Whale."

Robin's left pointer finger traced the indentations of Regina's cheeks. It hovered over her lips and smoothed away the hair from her temple. Then Robin's thumb began rubbing her cheek with affection.

"You bloody woman," the outlaw said, "What have you done?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Four pairs of boots stomped on the tiled hospital floor. A sharp click of wooden heels matched the steady drum of three sets of rubber soles. Four pairs of jeans slid against each other in perfect rhythm, their pace matched by their owners' eagerness. Two brunettes and two blondes entered the waiting area of the hospital, various shouts of questions roaming from their tongues.

The nurse did not have time to remove the phone permanently glued to her ear. A grim-faced Doctor Whale called their attention. His hazel eyes turned from deputy to the blonde sheriffs in apology. His features morphed to astounded confusion by their forth, younger member. The doctor's confused gaze begged answers from Emma, their unquestionable leader.

"Forgive me," he said, "But I'm not allowed to divulge my patient's information in front of Ms. Loche here."

"She's family," Killian replied.

The doctor's confused face only deepened. He shrugged his shoulders and begged them to follow him. They entered the hallway while everyone else stepped out of their way.

"Forgive me," he began, "I keep forgetting how much your family tends to grow. Anyway, as you could tell when you first brought him in, his vitals weren't good. Recovering was a bit optimistic even by Storybrooke standards and we have magic…"

"I've noticed," Odette quietly commented.

David had to fight back a grin that wanted to brazenly appear on his face. He silently pondered why such an action was required. Up until now the girl was a possible threat, but Killian seemed certain she was a member of their ever expanding brood.

Perhaps the curse was weakening enough not to affect him.

"So you can imagine my surprise when I walked in for a check-up only to be met with a string of questions from our favorite outlaw," Whale surmised.

He smiled something he probably felt was quiet and gentle. He didn't even bother to look as he swiped his badge through the locked doors. He pulled at the glass and waved everyone through. He was quite congenial as he guided them towards the outlaw's isolated facility.

"Before anyone asks," he said, "Robin is very confused right now. And a bit pissed off but that's to be expected when he woke up to no bouncing Roland and snarky… mayor… the hell?"

The doctor was understandably frantic when he opened the metal door. Wires and miscellaneous supplies cluttered the floor. The light directly above their heads flickered on and off, a good five feet lower than it should have been, hanging from the rafters at an odd angle. The television set was missing though David could bet it was in pieces on the lawn having sailed through the window in its decent.

Annoying sirens and buzzers only started going off when Whale approached the bed. The impression of a body was the only sign that someone had been there at all. For the hospital bed lay surprisingly empty.

Robin Hood was gone.

* * *

Storybrooke - Now

Ryder Wood was bored to tears. He had long since given up on ever seeing a familiar glint in a person's eye. Now he was forced to listen to the insufferable snores of one sleepy dwarf. His name was Walter in this world but the thief knew which dwarf this one was. Even an idiot from the Land Without Magic would recognize the snoring man. So it was no surprise that a strange flash of light and blast of powerful magic wasn't enough to wake the man up.

The thief fell from his uncomfortable jail cot. He winced as pain flared throughout the back of his skull. He sent out a silent slue of curses that would have his father blushing and his mother... well her scowl alone would probably end the debacle fall from his lips. But his parents weren't there and the swears gave Ryder the control he so desperately wanted.

He turned towards the sheriff's office expecting her to be shouting out commands at the lonely sleeping dwarf, waiting for his bashful partner to appear with the promised snacks and coffee cups. Instead there was only a blue bow floating in the air. Ryder stood to full attention.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered.

The bow, as if to mock him in his misery, glowed bright in reply.

 _The King has arrived._

Suddenly Ryder couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:**

Searching through the woods leads Emma to more than one startling discovery about Robin of Loxley, thief of Sherwood.


	11. Odette Loche

Storybrooke – Then

If Regina had to pick the worst way to ruin things, it would have been the imp for certain. Despite her sordid past, Rumpelstiltskin had been many things to her. The fact that he was the one to push her to learn dark magic was certainly the cause of most hostility between them.

"What do you want?" She growled into the phone.

Her voice alone changed the demeanor of the house. Henry's happy face fell, his pancake slipping from his fork and back onto the plate. Roland's brown eyes grew wide. Confusion soon furrowed his little forehead and made his dimpled cheeks puff in frustration.

It was Cora who seemed the most upset with the change in tone. Her happy giggles soon turned to cries of pain and sorrow. She whimpered softly as Robin struggled to provide peace and calm. Despite his best efforts, the baby reached out for her mother's arms.

"You should be a bit more appeasing towards me, Regina," Rumple said, "After all I have something you want."

"I don't have time for this," Regina snapped.

She did her best to give a mollifying grin to both of her son's. She even reached out to pull Cora tight into her embrace. The girl calmed immediately. Her tiny baby hands reached for the phone full well knowing the source of her mother's change in voice. The queen had to bite down a curse as she fought against the child's reach.

"What do you want, Gold?" Regina asked.

"The final ingredient," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I have it. I suggest you and your heroes get here quickly before I change my mind. It's not too late to convince Rothbart I've changed my mind."

Regina had to take a moment and breathe with that one. After so many years dealing with the imp she should have been used to his insufferable behavior. The man always needed to be on top and to glower at whomever sat at his feet.

Still he had a point. Rothbart wasn't after him. He probably could get out of this curse scoff free like he did the first one.

"We'll be there as soon as we get a baby sitter," the queen said.

She hung up without even waiting for a good-bye. The imp didn't deserve her cordiality anyway. He just ruined a wonderful day.

"I take it we will be asking Snow to take in our young offspring today?" Robin asked.

"Can I come?" Henry asked, "Grandpa Gold likes me. We might be able to use that."

Regina had to bite her bottom lip to keep from rolling her eyes. The negative answer was right on her lips, but her outlaw beat her to it. His right pointer finger was already playing with her lips, loosening them from their savage hold.

"Careful milady," Robin said, "You need to keep your blood pressure down."

"Yeah," Roland was quick to chime in, "Remember what happened last time?"

His worried brown eyed gaze was enough to soften any rebuke. It had become a habit of the now six year old. Anytime anyone had to remind Regina to keep her blood pressure, or anything else down, Roland was quick with his remember what happened last time as if he knew what it meant. Henry often used it to his advantage when he wanted something, more specifically when he wanted her to do something for him.

"Fine Henry can come too," Regina grumbled, "But the moment he does anything remotely slimy I should be allowed to kill him."

"Yeah!" Roland cheered, "Kill him, mommy."

"Roland," Robin admonished, "Mommy didn't mean it when she said that she was going to kill Mr. Gold. She just said that because she's extra grouchy. She's Henry's Grandpa which makes him family."

"Oh," Roland said, "Mommy don't kill Grandpa Gold!"

His face was very serious when he asked this. Then his little forehead crinkled once more. His lips pursed and the question flew from his lips exactly as expected.

"Mommy what's a Grandpa?"

"Um," Regina couldn't exactly explain it.

It wasn't like she had one. Well she had one but she never met him. She was the daughter of his fifth son. She wasn't even on his radar. Robin wasn't any better if memory served. All of his grandparents were dead long before he was born.

"They're parents of our parents," Henry explained, "That's why I call your Aunt Snow and Uncle David Grandma and Grandpa. Because they are my mom Emma's parents."

"Then where are my grandparents?" Roland asked, "Don't Mommy and Papa have parents?"

"Yeah," Henry said, "But Grandma Cora and Grandpa Henry are gone remember?"

"Like my first Mama?"

"Yeah Roland," Henry said, "like Marian."

Roland nodded his head and then excitedly exhaled, "Can I go with you to see Grandpa Gold?"

"No!"

Roland scrunched his nose in disgust of the answer.

"Good grief," he said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Annie Hart kept her steps careful and full of caution. She held an iron grip on the bow in her hands. Though her breath shook her aim was true. She knocked the arrow, pulling it close to her chin and right under her ear.

"It's just us dear," she said, "You can show yourself."

The little field mouse didn't seem fazed by the threatening arrow pointed its way. It continued to skitter across the forest floor nibbling away at an impressive kernel of corn. The mouse slowly lifted its head up. Its tiny pink nose scrunched as it took in its surroundings.

Instantly it was swallowed by a single swirl of smoke. The purple vapor moved up, up, up until it found home in front of the very archer who dared threaten its life. When the smoke cleared, a raven haired beauty appeared. Her green leather jacket blended in with the scenery.

"Tell me," Odette said, "What would you have done if it were Rothbart who appeared instead? Your bow and arrow would have been highly ineffective."

"These pointy sticks never miss their target," Annie said.

The redhead barely even flickered a smile. She withdrew her dangerous arrow and kindly slipped it back into the quiver. The bow found itself slung casually over her shoulder. Its blue grip glowed ominously in the evening's twilight.

"Besides," she continued, "you shouldn't become so dependent on magic. One never knows when it will fail, or the price one pays for it."

Odette Loche simply rolled her eyes. The single kernel of corn she held in her hand was quick to switch. It evaporated and morphed in its purple smoke until a beautiful sword grew in her right hand. She waved it through the air mockingly.

"I prefer a sword," she said, "It's far more personal."

The raven-haired girl had the audacity to take her treasured weapon and held it tight to her chest. She casually leaned back against the nearest tree. Her nose scrunched in observation of her surroundings.

"Don't tell me you've lost your taste for camping," Annie said, "You used to find any excuse to sleep in the woods."

Odette ignored the redhead's attempt at cheeky banter. She simply shook her head and sheathed her sword. With a kick off of the tree she swung to meet the redhead head on. Twin pairs of bright blue eyes stared into each other in warning.

"The king lives," Odette said.

It was a punch to the gut in more ways than one. The redhead visibly flinched. Her body contorted into a harsh shiver before quickly falling into non-reaction. Her features turned stern, taking on an almost bored quality.

"And the queen?" Annie asked.

Odette wasn't like her companion. Her bright blue eyes filled with sadness. Red lips puckered and the chin attached trembled. The girl's whole strong façade was broken with one simple question.

"That," she said, "remains to be seen."

Annie took the news as she took everything, with a calculated moment of silence. A nod struck her head. Then she dared to act as if nothing happened at all.

"It doesn't matter," she said, "Our plan continues as if nothing has changed. What other news do you bring?"

"Robin Hood is on the loose," Odette replied.

This time the mask of indifference fell. A bright smile rose upon freckled cheeks. The redhead stepped forward, bright blue eyes lighting green momentarily.

"Where is he?" She asked.

Odette's reply was simple.

"Where would you go if you woke up with who knows how many memories missing from your head?"

Annie Hart's smile blew impossibly wider. Her hands clapped together playfully. She gave a little twirl in her excitement. Then her professionalism kicked back in. Her face grew slack of any and all excitement. Any trace of happiness was quickly turned into a savage look of mild distaste. Her shoulders tensed into her perfectly straight back, chin held defiantly high.

"Your information is most pleasing," she said, "Until next we meet."

The redhead made to leave the woods altogether. She stepped further into the shadows and was on the brink of disappearing completely. That was the moment Odette chose to reveal her final comment.

"Little Orphan Annie," she said, "It won't be long before Emma figures out you're not her."

Annie Hart turned in the direction of her apparent partner. One eyebrow rose to her hairline. She shrugged her shoulders and gave the best impression of calm she had. She even looked annoyed by Odette's smug smirk.

"Our beloved Sheriff Swan already knows I'm lying about my name," she said, "Besides Annie Bennet seemed a little too on the nose for my taste."

"Why bother lying to them at all?" Odette asked, "Why not tell them the truth from the very beginning?"

"They're not who you thought they'd be," Annie said, "I told you they wouldn't be."

The redhead took in her partner's vacant expression and pity soon flooded her. A calm reassuring hand fell onto the girl's shoulder. Gently Annie squeezed with reassurance playing on her features. The hand went away, wiped off on Annie Hart's jeans.

"Remember the rules of the curse," the redhead said, "Only you can break it. How you go about that is completely up to you. But Emma Swan must not know who I am. Promise me you'll keep my secret."

"Always," Odette said, "and forever."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma knew something was wrong. Robin Hood had only been gone for a few hours and he already seemed to have the whole town fooled, and they were all looking for him. Little John had the Merry Men devouring the forest in their search. Sections of eight or ten men were scouring the woods they called home in search of their beloved leader without a single grain of evidence to his whereabouts. David and Red had the town covered. Each took a group or two of their own to search every strain of the town Robin Hood once frequented.

But Killian and Emma were the only ones who knew Robin wouldn't be there. The man was a thief and thus thinking as such. He wouldn't go anywhere obvious. It was what any former pirate or former thief turned bondsperson would know. So Killian took to the docks in hopes of finding his friend there, while Emma took the path of least resistance.

So the sheriff of Storybrooke stood in the middle of the cemetery. Her green eyes took in the tombstone with vigor. Robin Hood was still legible on its smooth grey stone. With a deep breath the blonde dug deep into her emotions pausing on the feeling of loss and abandonment. She focused all her thoughts on where she went when she was most afraid and confused.

The grave glowed exactly as planned. Robin Hood's name fell away from its etchings. It slipped into a slippery image of blurry green.

It was the forest of that Emma was certain. She concentrated just a bit harder, feeling the magic slipping through her fingers. The image on the tombstone grew better in quality. It was crisp, clear. The sheriff could now make out the foliage and trees of Storybrooke. There was a road too, of dirt and gravel that looked vaguely familiar.

A well appeared in the distance. The wooden stick that sat atop its stone façade still held an old rickety bucket atop it. The handle was broken now, splintered beyond recognition if not for its position on the old stick pulley. Robin Hood was running straight for it.

Emma smiled and closed her eyes. She envisioned that very wishing well and its placement in the heart of Storybrooke's woods. She felt a small tug in the middle of her stomach and then weightless, boneless. She felt her body compress and bend beyond the laws of nature until pain was the only thing she knew.

Then it all stopped and she was standing on something new.

"Robin," she said.

The man in question slid upon the dirt in obvious surprise. His arms raised high to shield himself from her. His rear end fell hard on the ground below. He took a moment to stare at her, his eyes filled with so much fear and confusion.

"Wh-Who are you?" He asked.

Emma held her hands out and smiled gently. She reached forward to help the man to his feet only to be slapped away. Robin jumped to his feet as if burned. He raised his right hand ready to strike out at her. The sheriff flinched at the unexpected move.

"Who are you?" He asked again.

"Um…" Emma swallowed, "M-m-my name is-"

"How did you get here?" Robin demanded sharply.

"M-m-mm-magic?" she replied.

The man didn't give her further time to explain. His hands shot to his head and he gave quite an impressive below of pain. He heaved a heavy sigh before quickly running off in some undetermined direction.

The sheriff didn't waste time. She was quick to grab her walkie-talkie and called in the outlaw's appearance. She followed on foot without a second thought.

"Hurry," she warned, "He's pretty confused."

That should have been the end of it. All Emma needed to do was call for back-up and follow Robin. But this was Storybrooke and nothing ever was so simple. Instead of running away from the paved blacktop road, Robin Hood chose to run towards it.

Emma was late in realizing how horrible that decision was. It soon became apparent that Robin Hood was in fact not running in the direction of the mayor's mansion, a place anyone would expect him to go in his confusion. No, the man had decided to run towards the one sign in all of Maine nobody should ever think to go towards.

The idiot outlaw was running straight for the Welcome to Storybrooke sign.

The sheriff didn't stop to think. She focused solely on the man running to his own doom. She concentrated on the very image of that mayor's mansion foyer. She brought the image to her mind and quickly raised her hands up to take the running man with her.

But fate had different plans for the very moment Emma's hands flung out Robin Hood spun around. His bright blue eyes began to glow. His fingertips sparked. A great blue light enveloped him whole, a circle of impenetrable blue lightning. It shot up to the heavens and revealed the dome ensnaring Storybrooke.

 _What the hell?_ Emma thought.

She raced forward in fear of her friend. She was certain the outlaw had to be in some form of pain. Yet the lightning stopped its spray of light before she even had a chance to get there.

A wave of magic pulsed outwards. Emma Swan was slammed into the ground by its massive force. She heard trees snap and branches groan. A flutter filled every inch of the Storybrooke Forest and a flurry of crows filled the skies.

"Emma!" Someone shouted.

The sheriff felt two pairs of harsh hands lift her up. Ocean blue eyes filled her gaze. A nice cool hook slid to her cheek.

"Alright love," Killian asked.

Emma nodded her head. She swung her arms free of Little John and her father. She ignored their concerned looks and stepped around her boyfriend's worried gaze. Her green eyes blew wide as she took note of the stone gargoyle at the townline.

Robin Hood was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The final ingredient was horribly misleading. It was a plant. All of this time, all of this energy and they were waiting for a stupid, pointless, iridescent plant. Regina had never wanted to kill the imp more.

"This is it?" She screamed, "This is what we've been waiting for?"

She had to take a moment to breathe. Air was finding it impossible to enter her lungs. Her blood was boiling. Her magic spiked from her fingertips.

"Careful milady," Robin said.

He laced his fingers with her own. The sparks tamed. Calm flooded through her with Robin's magical ease.

"You know as well as I that moonbeams are collected with patience and time," Rumpelstiltskin said.

He was calm as he extended the extract they needed. It glowed in a bright silver light. Regina reached out to collect the infernal thing, her temper building while she waited. But Rumpelstiltskin had other plans. He pulled the silver vial away. A slight smile graced his face at the queen's huff of anger.

"Not so fast," Rumple said, "The savior needs to be the one to handle this, dearie. Your magic would be a bit… unforgiving at the moment."

Regina glared. Then she growled because her glare clearly wasn't sending the appropriate message. Still the imp held his amused smirk. He even gave her a catty wink when the savior in question took the offered vial.

"Better hurry," Rumple said, "you haven't much time left. Rothbart only has one ingredient left to collect and it is by far the most crucial."

"The thing you love most," Emma cringed.

She turned to Regina with sadness on her features. Worry too if the way her green eyes kept taking in the queen's figure were anything to go by. Regina had to bite her tongue extra hard just to keep herself from exploding. If she didn't love these idiots so much she would kill them all.

"Let's get to that yellow death trap before I change my mind," Regina said, "and make certain you have all the proper car seats because I nearly had a heart attack when Roland said Cora was on his lap last time!"

The queen left in a huff, filing away Charming's admittance to being the guilty party instead of his daughter. The savior was quick to shrug off the sharp comment and instead chose to magic up a bottle of water. She handed it over to Regina without saying a word. She even dared to deliver a kind smile when gesturing to her yellow bug, conveniently parked next to an iron bench.

If Regina's feet weren't killing her she would have delivered quite the angry retort. As it was her lids felt heavy and it was getting unreasonably hot for October in Storybrooke. Sitting wouldn't be so bad. So she sat and tried her best to ignore everybody's happy smiles at the action.

Robin was quick to sit beside her. He brushed away some of her hair and planted a kiss at her temples. The queen felt her husband's hand shoot a soft electric current up and down her arm. Her heart immediately stopped its hammering. Her breath was restored. God she was going to kill him.

"I hate you all," she said.

"Don't lie, your majesty," Hook said, "We all know you couldn't live without us for long."

"Yes," Regina smirked, "Whatever would I do with all the free time and lack of danger?"

"Alright," Emma said, "So how do we get this thingy in my bug?"

That was the question indeed. Regina reached out for closer examination. It was her husband's hand that shot down her intentions. A kind smile appeared on his lovely lips. Gently, he shook his head and shushed any protest with a kiss to the very tip of her nose.

"Let's let Emma do the work, yeah?" He said.

Once again the urge to argue was on the very tip of the queen's tongue. She was not a child. She didn't need to be coddled. Rothbart was threatening her family and yes she knew the added stress wasn't exactly a good thing, but that wasn't her fault. He was a villain and that was his intention.

It unsettled her just how well his plan was working.

"Belle said to hook it to the engine," the queen calmly explained, "Then we simply need to put a protection spell over it and the moonbeams will do the rest."

It was so simple even the savior couldn't screw it up. The moonbeams were applied to the engine exactly as Blue had described. Emma grabbed onto the queen's hand and dared to use her magic to calm the queen down. If Regina wasn't so grateful for the emotional relief, and Robin's own magic was mixing with the savior's to make her more complacent to the peace and tranquility, she'd probably have smacked the blonde on the shoulder.

She would have said thank you afterwards.

Well, she planned to but their phones went off and ruined the moment. Regina's emotions went into overdrive as she read the vicious news. Rothbart had the final ingredient and he was going to the only place that would allow the curse to be cast:

the wishing well.

"I'll call Mom," Emma declared, "Henry you go to the apartment and watch the little ones."

"Do I need to pack?"

The discussion continued but Regina couldn't concentrate. All she could focus on was the knowledge that her family was about to be torn asunder. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let them suffer yet again for her past mistakes.

She watched as the Charmings, her precious Charmings hashed out a half-baked plan that was sure to sour the moment they arrived. Robin, her beloved soulmate, dared declare that he would handle his uncle, distract him from his focus until they could steal the ingredient away.

And Henry, her brave precious little boy had already formed plans A through Z for the inevitable escape they would need. It wasn't enough. Hope never was when up against the bitter darkness of vengeance and hate.

Suddenly the image morphed and changed. She could see the once great and feared Captain Hook laying on the ground, sword wedged well into his gut. Poor Emma, her sweet wonderful Emma was crying over her true love's dead body… again. The savior was oblivious of the black stickiness of her own blood, coating her white sweater from collarbone to naval.

Prince Charming was in ashes next to his dearly departed Snow White. Her raven hair was still aflame from the fireball that took her husband's life, one of her own arrows protruding from the very same heart they both so proudly shared. Neal was now left an orphan with no big sister to remind him just how much he was loved.

Regina's own sweet prince; Henry was chained to a tree. He was far too valuable as the author and he was refusing to deliver what Rothbart wanted. His pen was being driven into his still growing right hand and his little brother, poor dear Roland was crouched low on the ground. The boys were crying right along with their baby sister. They were staring at the dangerous madman with so much hate.

"This is my happy ending," Rothbart said.

The bastard reached into Robin Hood's chest. The queen cringed as she felt the madman's fingers wrap around her husband's heart. He pulled it over the wishing well and ignored the children screaming at him to stop, to end it all now and leave their Papa alone.

"How convenient that the thing I love most should share her heart," the madman finished.

Regina couldn't help but scream as she felt her soulmate's heart turn to ash. He didn't even share the pain. No Robin Hood died once again sacrificing himself for his one true love. And Regina was left to watch the curse clouds form.

"No," the queen said.

"No?" Emma asked.

She wasn't the only member of their motley crew to wear such a flabbergasted expression. Even dear Henry was looking at her as though she had lost her mind. Regina's hand automatically shot out to hold his cheeks just one minute longer. She smiled gently at him as she spoke again.

"No," she confirmed.

She understood the tension in the air. She could feel the need for argument begging to just roll off everyone's tongue. But chocolate eyes were already captured by bright blue. Robin Hood knew.

Her soulmate knew exactly what she was about to do.

But she was much too fast.

Her wrist flicked before savior or outlaw even had a chance to raise their hands in defense. She froze them all with her magic. She could feel Robin pulling at the invisible strings of his cage. The damn thief was already working towards freedom and she couldn't have that.

"I'm not being reckless," she promised the people she loved most of all, "I'm just buying us time."

She smiled bitterly as she took in every broken feature. Emma's green eyes were glistening, tears being the only thing the spell allowed through. The blonde savior was such a perfect contrast to her true love the pirate. Hook's ocean gaze was filled with absolute hatred and stinging betrayal, but that would pass. He knew as well as she that villains didn't get happy endings.

Her eyes fell on Charming next. Regina didn't know if she was worried or relieved by the calm acceptance on his features. She only knew that her smile couldn't help but grow at her next choice of words.

"You'll find me," she said.

Her thumb itched to trace her eldest child's cheek so she indulged. She reveled in the feeling of her beautiful prince's smooth cheeks, still baby soft but slowly growing stubble and revealing how short time truly was. She placed a kiss on his forehead in silent good-bye.

"Re-gin-na!"

Robin's soft voce nearly broke her. The outlaw's right hand was already breaking free of the spell. Her short leeway of space and time was growing much too short. She could feel the last tendrils of her imprisoning spell struggle to hold against their one true love.

"Do-n't!" Robin begged.

Regina only smiled sadly at him. She was quick to indulge once again. A tiny tear fell upon her round olive cheeks as she leaned close to her darling soulmate, the man she battled death for. Her lips were gentle as they pressed against his own.

She waved her hand into the air and said, "Forget."

They all disappeared in her own purple smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"What the hell was that?" John asked.

He wasn't the only one with questions. Emma was bombarded with them from the moment her crew of heroes realized she was okay. She ignored them all in favor of moving somewhere a bit more private. In a fluff of white smoke and iron will only those she felt privileged enough to know the truth were swept to the Nolan's apartment.

The sheriff turned around taking in the few she trusted most in all of Storybrooke. Little John was an obvious ally. He was Robin Hood's right hand man and second in command of the Merry Men. Likewise Will Scarlet was also a thief of more than just gold and expensive merchandise. He had somehow wormed his way into the Merry Men's good graces as well as the sheriff station's circle of trust. Both Scarlet and John were confused on their appearance within the Nolan household but they held their tongues and trusted the sheriff.

Killian was her boyfriend, her deputy, her partner and a whole slew of wonderful things Emma couldn't hope to ever describe. He was family and he deserved to be counted among the heroes despite his former villainy. He gave her a soft smile and allowed his eyes to convey his concern.

Granny was probably the most surprised. The old woman hadn't even been involved in the search party. She had been doing her job at the diner to feed everyone in Storybrooke. Her wolf ears were invaluable and Ruby would listen to her advice should she ever give it.

Leroy and the rest of the dwarves were family as well. They were her mother's most trusted followers and they all knew exactly what to convey and when to keep mum. Mother Superior though, she was the one who seemed most out of place amongst them all.

"Emma what's going on?" She asked, "What are we doing here? You shouldn't use your magic on such difficult spells. Surely Regina taught you that-"

The nun was cut off before anymore words could be divulged. Emma swung her hands and a great warmth enveloped all hearts. Noise of any kind seized to be. Phones went dead before disappearing altogether. The lonely television set fizzled and gave off sparks before dissolving into a harmless toaster oven. The few laptops that littered the table all turned into butterflies. They floated towards the ceiling, flying over the chandelier.

 _All clear_ , they said.

"Did you just cast every protection spell ever created?" Mother Superior asked, "Impressive."

Then she sat without further invitation at the table where so many meetings were held. She folded one arm over the other, hands and fingers intermingling until one could not be distinguished from the other. She inclined her head to the side and chairs came up from the very floor below. The dwarves took the hint and sat down immediately. Others, like Will and John were a little more hesitant.

"We should be looking for Robin," John said.

"Ye," Will agreed, "Not sittin' 'round playin' pat'y cake like bloody buffoons."

Killian slapped the man upon the head. He was none too gentle when he slammed the thief into the closest chair. His hook remained on the man's shoulder when he sat down beside him. John simply chuckled and chose to lean against the counter instead.

"About that," Emma said, "He ummm…"

"He was the source of that blue light near the townline," Mother Superior supplied.

Emma gawked at the nun for a moment. She felt the blood rush from her face. Her breath caught and her throat was mysteriously dry. But her palms were unusually sweaty and she had to wipe them off on her jeans.

"That tower of light was Robin Hood?" Granny asked.

The old woman was already knitting, sitting at the head of the table as if they were just talking about the weather. Her half-moon glasses stooped low on her nose. She bit her lip and fixed whatever missed pearl she made. Then her shoulders shrugged and a short chuckle fell from her lips.

"Figures," she laughed, "I bet that alone will force the mayor out of hiding."

"Do ya thin' that's where he's goin'?" Will asked, "After her?"

Emma opened her mouth to answer. She was certain she was capable of more than the garbled speech that slipped out. Her nerves continued to strike her down. She could feel tears trying to burn the backs of her eyeballs. A helpless gasp made her turn towards her father, hoping answers would pour from his throat instead.

David Nolan still hung by the door. His blue eyes filled with concern and kicked off of it at his daughter's desperate cry. His arms uncrossed. His red plaid shirt wrinkled at the elbows as he stepped forward with caution. He turned his gaze onto the nun who knew magic better than anyone.

"Does Robin have magic?" The other sheriff asked.

The nun nodded her head and an odd look of confusion flittered across her face. She sat up straight, her grey eyes filling with great concern. Emma noticed that her knuckles turned white from her fidgeting.

"Did you not know?" She asked turning to Emma for answers, "Did you not… sense it when he awoke?"

The sheriff shook her head. She looked to her father helpless for answers. Her mouth opened again to emit a strange garble of sound. It was then she missed her mother most. Mary-Margaret knew how to lead. She knew how to instill hope and Emma was just her daughter from the Land Without Magic. She didn't know how to give hope.

"Oh dear," Mother Superior said, "No wonder you were unable to catch him. I'm sorry, Emma. If I had known I would have told you not to bother."

"Do you know where he is heading?" John asked, "We've looked all over. We can't for the life of us figure out where he would go."

"Isn't it obvious?" Leroy asked, "He'd go straight to the Mayor's Mansion. When David woke up from his coma where was the first place he looked? That's right. He went to the toll bridge over the river. Robin's got to be doing the same thing. He's looking for Regina just like David was looking for Mary-Margaret."

There was a large consensus from everyone at the table. Only Killian and Mother Superior didn't seem to agree. Killian shook his head and scowled while Mother Superior hung her head down low. Emma frowned and quickly used her concern to fuel her words.

"Mother Superior," she said, "What is it?"

The nun looked startled to be addressed at all. She shrugged her shoulders and began fidgeting with her hands again. She struggled with words, saying things that seemed a garbled mess of vomit instead of inspirational poetry. She only stopped when Emma's left hand gently grasped hers.

"Blue," Emma said, "What do you know?"

"He's not going to the mansion," the nun said, "It would be too obvious. You of all people know how dangerous that is."

"And Whale said Robin was disoriented," John mentioned, "If he truly knew who he was why would he run away from the hospital that would lead him to answers faster?"

Mother Superior nodded in her agreement. A slight whimper of fear issued from her lips. She quickly squeezed Emma's hand before turning her attention to the captive audience all around. There was a deep swallowing sound from her lips before she turned her attention on both sheriffs in earnest.

"He doesn't know who he's looking for," the nun explained, "He only knows where she is."

And then Emma Swan understood everything. Her heart fell to her stomach below. Her skin began to chill. Fear clawed its way throughout her entire being. It was Mother Superior who explained why the blood was rushing away from the sheriff's head.

"When Robin returned," she said, "It did more than just bond their lives together for all eternity. Their souls are one. Their hearts and minds are connected in a way that has been in eons. He's being pulled towards her and more specifically her magic without any knowledge of who she is or what she's done."

"And Regina doesn't know who he is," John sighed.

The burly man closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose against an apparent headache. The other members of their small council held their heads in defeat. The overall abeyance of hope was shattered completely.

"We have to find him," Emma said, "Before she does. Understood?"

The group nodded immediately. Ideas were formed and a plan put in place. John and Will would continue to scour every inch of the forest while Granny kept her ears open for any signs of danger. Leroy and the dwarves would take to observing the mayor's mansion in case Regina or Robin Hood showed up. Killian would go with Emma to find the outlaw on foot.

"I will have the fairies working on several locator spells," Mother Superior said, "We will find him before the day is done, Emma."

"There's something else I have to tell you," Emma said.

She swallowed hard against the anxiety filling her chest. Her eyes connected with Killian's and for a moment there was nothing but calm. He gave her a gentle nod. A squeeze of pressure on her right shoulder signaled David, her father offering up his support in this newest development.

"It's about the missing children," she said, "We believe that-"

The words were cut short by a loud snap. The very door to the apartment began to grunt and groan. A ripple of magic began to form in the heart of the wooden door. The nearby coatrack started shaking. The table and chairs vibrated with power. Then the door blew open as if no magic was there to begin with.

The girl stepped through with a silly grin on her features. Raven hair flew in long wavy wisps around an olive chin. Bright blue eyes held mirth and pride. Black boots dissolved into smooth tan skin. A skirt sat around usually covered legs. A green plaid shirt tailored to be skin tight sat under a green leather jacket in need of a good wash.

"Sorry I'm late," Odette Loche said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina disappeared in a puff of smoke and allowed herself the luxury of taking a quick breath. She could feel the dark magic circling in the air. They didn't have much time and she was wasting it by taking these few precious breaths.

"Regina!"

The former Evil Queen grimaced in disgust. She found her brown eyes falling onto the angry green ones of the savior. Emma Swan stood before her, white smoke billowing out from her feet. The scowl on her face was enough to stop the angry retort from falling out of the sorceress' lips.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Emma asked.

Regina allowed her lips to twitch upwards despite herself.

"Funny," she said, "I was just about to ask that."

The blonde simply raised an angry eyebrow and crossed her arms. The queen rolled her eyes. A gentle cough interrupted their staring match.

"If you don't mind," Hook said, "I'd like to know what we're all doing here, your majesty."

The one handed pirate leaned against a giant pine tree just as casually as if it was a normal day. His arms were crossed against his chest and his irritating hook just glistened in the sun. He even wore his usual cocky grin as if he already knew everything and couldn't wait to share it with the rest of the class.

"We are doing nothing," Regina replied. She couldn't exactly help it if her voice was a little angry.

"I am stopping this curse."

"No," Emma growled and the damn pirate had the nerve to step off the tree and back her up, the traitor.

"We are stopping the curse, love," he said.

"Emphasis on the we," Emma said, "Otherwise we tell Robin."

"Tell Robin what exactly?"

Regina's heart dropped at that voice. She swung around in absolute horror. Sure enough, the infamous outlaw known as Robin Hood was walking into their little clearing. He already had his bow and arrows ready for a brawl. He was wearing his hunting boots as well.

"Surely my wife wouldn't dare to stop Rothbart's curse after I just begged her not to."

Robin's blue eyes of cold steel turned to the brunette angrily. Regina simply rolled her eyes and huffed. She noticed Emma and Hook carelessly retreating out of the corner of her eye.

 _Cowards,_ Regina thought.

"My wife would never think of doing something so dangerous after everything we've been through."

Robin's voice carried flint and steel with it. His facial expression was nothing but pure and steady calm, but that voice carried everything with it. His green jacket and dark jeans showed no sign of him traipsing through the woods. Regina could only come to one conclusion.

"Did you use magic to find me?" She asked and she was proud to note that her voice did indeed carry anger and disdain.

Robin's calm façade fell away with her words. The steel of his gaze turned hot as molten lava. His left hand tightened on his favorite bow, a bow made by her own magic as a wedding gift. Regina felt the fear in her heart as she noticed his top lip quiver with his anger.

It was the hand that wrapped around her neck that was most surprising. The familiar callouses of the outlaw's palm snatched at that space where neck meets jaw. He painfully forced her face into his and dared to look murderous. It didn't escape the queen that his fingers were doing everything in their power not to squeeze with all their might.

"We are one, Regina!" Robin Hood screamed, "You and I live, breathe and die at the same time! That was the price we paid. A shared life. Two souls so entwined one does not end without the other's beginning-"

"Robin-" she tried.

"How dare you rid me of that choice, Regina!" He growled, "How dare you decide that your… life… is meaningless without my say…"

The queen pushed herself away from her husband with ease. Her blood boiled at the possessive implication. The flames flickered at her fingertips and eagerly singed the stupid green leather jacket he insisted on favoring.

"I do not need your permission, Robin!"

He dropped the bow, his precious favored bow he refused to unleash for anything. It fell to the ground with violent ease. It barely even made a clutter when compared to the vicious sound issued from his lips.

"You stubborn woman!"

His hands encircled the air around her again. His fingers curled to keep from choking her where she stood. Sparks of blue lightning mixed impressively against red flames. Together the two forms of magical anger made a light display like never before. The lightning fed the flames and the flames devoured the blue until only white could be seen.

"So sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The girl looked completely unbothered at the many eyes staring her way. She continued to smile on, walking into the apartment as though she had done it a million times before. She held in her right hand a single piece of paper. She gave to the sheriff with an eager grin breaking small dents into her cheeks.

"Who the hell are ya?" Will asked.

Odette turned in the direction of the Merry Man. Her bright blue eyes grew wide in surprise. She took in the appearance of each and every person sitting around the dining room table. It was only when bright blue eyes fell on the burly Little John that true fear filled her gaze.

"Um," she said, "I came to help."

Mother Superior jumped to her feet. Her hands slammed to her lips and she stared at the younger woman in complete shock. Tears sprang from her eyes, falling down cherubic cheeks in quick cascades. Her hands shot to the girl's raven hair and then to her shoulder.

"You're impossible," the nun said.

Odette flinched the moment the nun's hand landed on her. She nervously stepped aside and closer to Emma. Her hand noticeably shook as she handed over her glistening piece of paper.

"What's this?" Emma asked because she couldn't figure out what else to do.

"My resume," the girl said, "as you can see I am more than qualified to join you on your hunt for Robin Hood. I've tracked down criminals before-"

"Bail-bondswoman," Emma gasped, "and a private investigator. This is literally my job description before I came to Storybrooke."

"Purely coincidental I assure you," Odette said, "Most people don't know how to search off the grid without the fancy computers. I pick up where they leave off."

The girl paused in a moment of nervousness. She inhaled deeply and did her best to avert her gaze from the onlookers behind her. A hand quickly pushed back a few stray hairs and gently tucked them behind her right ear.

Emma was hit with a bizarre sense of déjà vu. If she hadn't lived in Storybrooke for so long she would have believed it a mere coincidence that such a feeling occurred. But her green eyes took note of the mysterious way in which Mother Superior stared at the girl.

In fact, the sheriff couldn't help but note everyone was staring at her with some level of forlorn expression. Every jaw in the room was slackened. Not a single eye lay unopen in shock.

Little John's left hand shook in front of his mouth, positioned as if he had been mid-yawn. Will Scarlet simply gaped and struggled for breath. Leroy coughed on whatever drink he poorly imbibed. Granny had a ball of yarn falling from her knitting back, blank hazel gaze unaware of her failed knitting. Killian held a small smirk on the corners of his lips.

But David Nolan seemed the most disturb of them all. His blue eyes were filled with too many emotions to name. He stepped forward his hand outstretched as if to remove the stray waves himself. His left hand was planted to his waist where Emma knew he kept his cuffs.

"Emma you must take her," Mother Superior said, "She is the only one who can help you find Robin Hood."

Odette's eyes momentarily widened. She turned to the nun with a look of pure shock plaguing her features. Something inside of her snapped. The girl turned away and her cheeks grew unbearably red. She lowered her head into a dramatic slouch and raised her leather jacket up just enough so her hair hung over it and hid away her face.

"Who's the girl?" John asked, "I don't remember seeing her around here before."

"She's the one whose friend is in the slammer," Leroy replied.

Odette's head hung impossibly lower. Emma noticed a slight jarring in her posture. Green eyes followed the movement until she noticed the right foot tapping away below. The soft clicking of her boot signaled a level of nervousness the sheriff was unaccustomed to seeing in the girl standing before her.

"Alright, new plan," Emma said, "Everyone this is Odette Loche. She'll be with me. Dad you and Killian take the peer to the park. John, you and the rest of the Merry Men are going to cover from the toll bridge to the townline. Will, you lead from the camp to the park. Granny, alert us the moment you hear anything about the dark curse… We think that is what's behind all of the disappearances. Meet back here in two hours. If we haven't found him by then-"

Emma didn't have to tell them to get her message across. They all knew exactly what was at stake. Still the odd glances continued until only Killian and David stayed.

"Emma," David said, "Are you sure you can trust her?"

"I'm standing right here," Odette said, "and by the way I'm more trustworthy than most of the people in town right now. We don't even know how many people are in Rothbart's pockets because of the curse. He could even have control of your hearts for all I know."

"If anything I'm taking the biggest risk."

Emma could see the girl's point. Even Killian couldn't argue her argument was sound. They were the ones under the apparent curse and the sheriff was dead positive it was the dark curse, there were far too many coincidences for anything else to make sense. If she was supposed to save them, they had to believe in her.

"Dad," Emma said, "I'll be fine. My superpower says she's telling the truth. We can trust her."

"Um," Odette said, "just so you know your superpower doesn't actually work on me for some reason. You've explained it to me multiple times but I sort of zoned out a bit but I promise that you can tell me a million times after we go get Robin Hood!"

And with that the girl cheerily exited the apartment door completely unaware of the three shocked faces she left behind.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The bubbling rage of minutes ago was gone. A cold dread filled every bone in the queen's body. Regina Mills turned in perfect harmony with her husband, staring at the man who threatened their happiness with a smile on his face.

Lord Rothbart gave a dark, cheeky smile as he approached. His pink scar jutted out over his left brow and ended like a knife on his left cheek. His crown shaped beard twitched with his smile. His black eyes shined with victory.

"If you would like to finish I would be happy to oblige," he said, "Once my curse is cast you'll forget what you're little squabble was about anyway."

He shrugged his shoulders, red cape flipping to his right. His black tunic burned with imperious pride. He even wore an elegant crown of his own making upon his head. It was black as the madman's heart and slightly crooked the queen was pleased to note.

Robin was the first to step forward in challenge of the man. He extended his arms out wide in invitation. Regina couldn't help but scowl that he had her perfectly blocked from view.

"Take me and let her go," Robin said, "Your fight is with me. It always has been. You need not cast this Dark Curse to have your revenge."

Rothbart chuckled. The madman nodded his head and allowed his vicious cackle to fill the air around them. He stepped forward and dared grab the younger man by his chin.

"Oh indeed I will," he said, "but your little friends are foolish. They think you worthy of loyalty and trust. And I have learned that they too must be punished… must be taught that I am their king. And with my glorious curse they shall."

The madman released a vile chuckle. He stepped forward daring to trace his cold wrinkled fingers upon the queen's rounded olive cheek. Robin snarled at the older man. He unleashed a trail of hot blue sparks upon the madman who dared touch his wife. Lord Rothbart merely chuckled and flicked his finger in mild irritation.

"But first I need my queen," he said.

His black eyes dared dart to the woman in question. The raven-haired queen gave him a rather impressive glare. Her hands shot to her hips. Her blood red lips puckered in amusement. A sharp arched eyebrow rose to her hairline. Her right booted foot began tapping.

"Over my dead body," Robin replied.

Rothbart smirked and Regina's heart fell. That was exactly what the madman wanted. The queen watched as the outlaw was pressed with a giant fireball.

"If you insist," Rothbart said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The forest was too obvious of a choice but still Emma dutifully led the way to the cemetery. She was constantly looking back making certain the girl followed, her feet far too quiet for the sheriff's liking. It was like walking with her own shadow instead of human being she was possibly related to in some fashion or another.

The tombstone was just as grey and lifeless as usual. It still glistened in the sun as if it was freshly polished the day before. The grooves of its embedded name still haunted the sheriff's very soul.

"Robin Hood?" Odette said a lick of confusion thick in her voice, "Why does Robin Hood have a grave?"

"This is how I found him," Emma explained, "When he died-"

"Robin Hood died?"

Emma chose to ignore her annoyance. She instead focused on the voice whispering in the back of her head telling her that something wasn't quite right about the girl not knowing that one simple fact. It told a tale of caution and spoke words of warning. The girl was hiding something but what still couldn't be discovered.

"Yes," the sheriff said, "He died and when he did he left a piece of himself here in Storybrooke. When Regina died…"

"The queen died too?" Odette gasped, "Exactly how many people in this… um, your family… that is this family of yours pertaining to Snow White and the fact that the queen is her stepmother... How many of you have died and come back from the dead?"

Emma rolled her eyes. That was it. Her patience was dead and buried right along with the now empty casket belonging to Robin Hood.

"If you would let me finish," she said, "because of how he came back a piece of Robin still lives in his tombstone. That's how I was able to find him the first time. Blue says you can help me find him sooner and we need to find him before Regina… before the queen does."

"Why?" Odette asked.

The sheriff turned towards the girl, scandalized.

It should have been obvious. Anybody with eyes had to have seen that the mayor currently walking around Storybrooke was convinced she was still the Evil Queen. It couldn't be possible that Odette had failed to notice during her brief, fiery introduction to the town's mayor. Robin Hood would be a sitting duck, especially if he remembered her.

"They're true love," Odette explained, "He can't harm her any more than she can hurt him. The whole soulmate thing makes it so."

 _Soulmate thing,_ Emma felt her heart stop, _How the hell does she know Regina and Robin are soulmates? What do they just announce it to everyone where she's from? Or maybe it was just public knowledge to spread hope throughout the kingdom?_

Somehow the sheriff found it difficult to believe the latter option would be the right one. Regina hated having her privacy invaded. She hated allowing any show of weakness, especially in matters of the heart, on display for everyone to observe.

"Because," Emma replied, "Robin doesn't know Regina doesn't remember him and we don't exactly know what he remembers either-"

"So-"

"Sooooo, that means for all we know Robin Hood could be running around all of Storybrooke under the impression he's a rubber chicken and possibly get himself killed. It may be the worst case scenario but it's worrying enough for us to want to prevent it as quickly as possible."

"Then why aren't we searching the vault?"

The question had its merits. Emma had a million and one different reasons flying through her head exactly why the girl's question was appropriate. Mother Superior said that Robin was searching for Regina and that her magic was acting as the perfect mechanism to cause confusion. Her vault was filled to the brim with traces of her magic from its years in the Enchanted Forest as well as its time in Storybrooke.

It also happened to be the only place the sheriff hadn't asked anyone to go near. It was perfectly hidden in the woods as well. Robin could have found his way in and be in deep search of answers to questions without once asking them. It would also be the perfect place for him to accidentally run into the town's mayor, who was under the horrible impression she was still the Evil Queen.

"We need to get to that vault now!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The flames didn't die down. If anything they only grew in strength. Regina had to concentrate on her husband's stance to stop her own magic's spike of fear. She closed her eyes and felt the cold flames devour her skin.

A small smirk appeared on her lips despite her best efforts. Robin's warm stretch of lightning flared throughout her hands. It stretched forth as a calm caress. It diverted the flames and separated them into nothing but soft embers barely maintaining their amber glow.

That was the moment Regina chose to pounce. She focused all thoughts away from her husband's fate. Her mind thundered with anger and she pushed her palms out. The magic pulsed from her fingertips, punching Rothbart square in the chest. He slammed into the nearest tree. A blossom of blood fell from his lips.

"Impressive," he said, "Your magic is growing stronger every day. Soon, my queen, I will show you your true potential."

His black, soulless eyes turned to Robin. There was a sense of hunger in his look. His left hand rose into the air.

"But first let us be rid of this false king."

His magic was quick but the queen was faster. Regina waved her hand and she and her husband were gone in a puff of purple smoke. When they reappeared it was with a thundering head and a loud ringing in her ears. The world quickly spun on its axis. The earth and sky were a blurry unity on her vision.

"Regina!"

Robin's voice snapped her back in place. The sky and earth separated, revealing a broad range of beautiful autumnal leaves. Reds, browns, greens and yellows embraced the sharp stone concrete of the wishing well.

Its black shingled roof stood in stark contrast to its colorful background. The lonely bucket that stood at its ceiling swung back and forth. Regina took in her surroundings and frowned.

"I see you have forgotten your place, my queen. That will easily be on the mend in no time soon."

Rothbart continued to gloat. His black eyes stared directly at the queen with so much anger and lust. His plans were plainly written upon his face. If the nausea wasn't so hard pressed to invade, Regina would have smacked his victorious smirk right on his face.

"What is this?" Robin asked, "Why did bring us here?"

The outlaw's voice held none of its usual charm and peace. There was a deadly note hiding in his calm façade. The danger was hissing out with each and every breath. Blue sparks licked his white-knuckled fist.

"I'd think it quite obvious little prince," Rothbart said.

Dread filled Regina's veins. The queen quickly turned to the wishing well behind her. She latched onto its stone walls and leaned forward. The smell alone brought bile to the edge of her tongue. She had to swallow several times to keep the fear and anxiety down.

The scent of burnt hair and charred flesh, incense and boiled frog eyes, it filled the air. Regina swallowed back the bile again. Suddenly a new sense of dread filled her bones.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on not spilling her lunch where she stood.

 _The Dark Curse_ , Regina thought.

Robin's warm palm gently caressed her back. His touch sent a soothing wave throughout her body. The nausea abated with every calming thought he gave her.

 _How do we stop it my love?_ He asked.

Regina had never been more grateful for their unusual bond. She turned into his awaiting embrace and their connection grew as more contact came to pass. She could feel his fear now. His heart was hammering at the exact same pace as hers. His hope slithered its way into her heart and dared grasp it in its cool hands.

 _We can't._

"Now," Rothbart said, "the spell calls for the heart of the thing I love most-"

"Over my dead body," Robin promised.

Regina shushed him. Her mind whirled with thoughts, plans to avoid such a horrible end. No such escape was found. Her mind was awash with memories of a similar moment. A blue crystal was now replaced with black encased fingers. The same crazed glint in blue grey eyes was now reflected in pure painful black.

"Agreed," Rothbart said.

His hand reached towards the outlaw menacingly. The pulse of magic rippled through the air. It was simple instinct that forced the queen to act. She jumped before registering any movement at all.

"No!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The pathway was unusually dark. It was barely noon and still thick shadows covered every inch of the land between the cemetery and the Mills' family crypt. A soft sizzle filled the air the closer Emma stepped to her destination. A buzzing heat pulled on the hairs on her neck until they were standing. Random blue streaks began to hiss above the sheriff's head.

The magic was strong, an ancient thing growing warm in the now hot sticky air. A piercing darkness enveloped any signs of the mausoleum completely. Emma could barely see her hand in front of her face let alone the pathway she was supposed to be traveling.

A twig snapped in the distance.

Emma swirled around in dismay waiting for that moment when the new villain appeared. Instead she was met with a scornful look by a raven haired girl wearing green leather. Odette was almost unimpressed by the sheriff's small shriek.

"What?" the girl asked.

The sheriff tried her best not to note the roll of bright blue eyes. She even fought a soft smile at the heavy sigh escaping oddly rough ruby red lips. Again the buzz of familiarity hovered in the air between them.

"Something's wrong," Emma said, "Everything is surrounded by darkness-"

"Darkness?" Odette said, "You see darkness?"

There was a hint of warning in the girl's tone. If Emma had been properly paying attention she would have picked up on it immediately, but the bizarre case of endless black ahead of her kept her properly unhinged. It was only as the sheriff stepped forward that she realized her mistake.

Odette wasn't following.

The attack happened from in front first. A great ball of bright blue light shot out in a big snap of wind. Emma felt the hot sizzling breeze barely buzz her left ear. The smell of burnt flesh and hair filled her nostrils.

Her knees slammed into the ground first, hard. Somehow the sheriff managed to use her momentum to tuck and roll out of danger. She felt another gallop of heat zoom past her left shoulder. Her right shoulder ached from the jump out of danger and now her knees throbbed with more pain.

"What was that?" Emma asked.

She had no time to seek out an answer. The very girl she turned to for assistance was nowhere to be seen. Emma struggled to her feet listening for any sign of the assailant or the missing girl. Neither seemed privy to reveal themselves so soon.

The sheriff perked her ears, strained them to the brink in hopes of discovering any sound of where the pair disappeared. She closed her eyes and fought against her instincts. She needed to concentrate. She focused her magic on the girl she knew.

Her forest green jacket was made of leather. It was modeled exactly like Emma's own red leather jacket. She wore black riding boots with a thick two inch heel. There was an unusual buckle on them… a silver crest was embedded into the dull, mud-caked black leather. Dark blue jeans traveled muscular thighs into a grey t-shirt that kept climbing up one side.

There was a white fireball burning in the girl's right hand. Her jaw worked itself from left to right and then back harsh upon the teeth within. A twig snapped underfoot that well-worn pair of black boots. No clear path showed her exact location through the thick trees of maple, pine, evergreen, spruce, and birch. There was only the afternoon sun breaking through lush green leaves and blonde hair blowing through the warm sea breeze.

Emma's green eyes burst open in fright. That same sea breeze assaulted her skin now. A loud pop sounded from the distance and the sheriff was too slow to react.

Her back felt on fire and her front fared no better. Her face was catapulted into a dark wrinkled trunk. A zig-zag pattern of rough to smooth and back again rubbed harshly on the sheriff's skin. Emma could observe every fine-toothed detail of the dark brown bark and its mossy clover-shaped, leathery skin. She felt as it burned on her right cheek and slammed thoughtlessly into her nose.

Her vision blurred and spun. Her head thumped with a loud array of pain. Hot stickiness dripped onto her stinging hands. The very act of turning around brought bile to the sheriff's throat.

Something hard and pointy slammed into Emma Swan's rump. The back of her head slammed hard on a snapping, cracking surface. Something white traveled through the hazy field of green and brown. Then Emma's world turned.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Blue. Anything and everything Emma saw was covered in a brightly lit sky blue. She blinked a few times and new colors joined in. Green leaves with five points and the distinct likeness of a maple leaf came into shape. They swished forward and back in the whispering wind.

The crunch of dead leaves in the distance alerted the sheriff to company nearby. Something soft kept flittering in and out of focus to the sheriff's still drumming ears. Pain was everywhere but at least the person whose voice came fading in and out still kept their distance.

Emma tried to move. She had to bite back a groan as her right shoulder ached. The back of her head felt heavy as lead. Her nose was on fire. But it was her chest that seemed to have the most gut-wrenching pull of white hot tearing flesh to offer.

Her assailant's raven ponytail flicked from side to side, reminding Emma of a horse more than a pacing young woman in green leather. The girl's hands were moving up and down, side to side; circling the air around and in front without any trace of stopping. Her puckered red lips were moving rapid fire. There was no exuberance of calm.

Odette Loche looked as though she were the one hit with a ball of fire.

"Oh God she's going to kill me," she said, "What have I done? There's no way anybody in Storybrooke is going to trust me now. I attacked the savior… What were you thinking, you idiot?"

The girl changed direction and Emma cringed. For one scary moment the sheriff thought she had attracted unwanted attention to herself. But the girl continued in her pacing rant as if no disturbance had ever occurred.

"You were thinking Emma Swan was missing her heart that's what you were thinking. Mom said that couldn't happen. Well… she said allot of things couldn't happen but here we are… Stuck in the Land Without Magic with Rothbart in power yet again. And this time I don't have The Savior or her mother Snow freaking White to help."

"And do I have the Good Queen Regina and His Majesty King Robin of Sherwood… Nope! No I do not because they both had to stay behind and get themselves cursed too."

The girl changed direction again. She waltzed on passed the laying sheriff and marched herself towards the looming doors of the Mills Mausoleum without once paying any mind to her captive. Instead she carried on berating herself for something Emma couldn't help but find herself too confused to understand.

Her voice had changed. It now took on a hint of mimicry that implied hearing it directed her way multiple times. Odette didn't even have to pause for a breath as she kept up her strange façade.

"You're destined to save us Odette," she said, "You will find us. Our family always finds each other. No matter what you face no that we will always love you… Oh and by the way Odette half the people you know are either missing or under the impression that they're not heroes anymore. But are we going to tell you how to defeat said curse you're destined to destroy? Of course not because that would be too helpful and as an added bonus you are now doomed to almost get killed by every single member of your family at some point. Woopty freaking do! What a ride?"

The girl's pacing stopped when she was exactly an arm's reach away from the sheriff herself. Emma closed her eyes and was careful to keep her breathing low. She felt a pair of eyes fall to her. A lonely stressful sigh issued forth from ruby lips.

"Emma, how am I supposed to get you to believe in me again?"

The dead leaves cringed and groaned as Odette stooped low upon them. The snap, crackle, pop, crunch of gravel signified a shift from right foot to left. A disturbance in the low breeze signaled something, perhaps a hand or even the girl's whole torso, moving towards the older woman's face.

The sheriff acted on instinct.

Without much effort Emma's green eyes snapped open. Her hand moved and grabbed onto a surprisingly pliant wrist. A quick yank and the girl was completely ensnared in Emma's strong hold. Her elbow hooked around a strong, thrumming neck. The sheriff pushed her left hand on the base of the girl's skull.

A satisfying hiss of pain, a croak of struggling breath began to sound.

"Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?" Emma asked.

The girl continued to grunt and groan for breath. She struggled against Emma's harsh headlock, nearly escaping once or twice. Emma had to pull her grip tighter and lock her fingers in thick raven tresses. She could hear cool wet tears dropping on her red leather sleeve.

"Emma," the girl gasped.

"Why are you trying to hurt my family?" the sheriff demanded.

"I'm not," the girl replied, "I'm… trying to… save it!"

Emma's grip loosened with shock. She remembered herself enough to keep her fingers ensnared in lock dark hair. Her slackened fear allowed scents to once again return. The smell of forest and firewood was thick on the girl's clothes. But so was the offshoot of apples and cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla just to add to the confusion.

"Why did you attack me?" Emma asked.

"I thought you weren't in control of your heart," Odette said, "I thought Rothbart was."

"Why?"

It didn't make sense. Emma could feel the organ beating rapidly in her chest. She could feel its constant pounding pain when her thoughts turned towards Henry and the possibly darkness he could be held in. Her eyes and feelings burned with the constant possibilities of her family being torn asunder for some new villain's amusement.

So her throat constricted and she cursed the hot prickling tears that fell from her eyes. She kicked her left leg out. Her grip on the girl grew tighter. She took her frustrations out on the immediate enemy. She screamed out her question with all her might.

"Why?"

"Because you saw the shadows!"

Emma felt her whole body freeze. Her breath caught at the tip of her lungs. Her palms grew unreasonably sweaty. A sick sense of dread filled her very bones.

"What?"

"The shadows," Odette said, "Robin Hood surrounds himself with light so bright that it makes his enemy's only see darkness. You said you saw the shadows of darkness so I thought that meant you didn't have your heart."

Emma felt her grip slacken just a bit more. The girl's right hand flew up to take advantage. A small struggle began. An elbow hit the sheriff's nose. Slick fingers pulled back on thick raven curls. The girl screamed in agony and Emma Swan tightened her grip on her assailant's throat.

"Explain," Emma said, "Why did you knock me out?"

"I didn't want Rothbart to crush your heart," Odette said, "I couldn't take the chance of losing you if I was right. With you knocked out Rothbart would just assume Robin Hood attacked you and he wouldn't know if he was awake."

"Why?" Emma asked, "You had my heart in your hands and can still feel the pain in my chest. Why didn't you crush my heart when you had the chance?"

The girl's struggles died down with the sheriff's lasting patience. Odette's full weight leaned into her captor. She was completely limp.

"Because you're my family," Odette said, "You just have to open your eyes to see it."

Her voice was filled with pain and defeat when she spoke. But there was something added into the obvious emotions. There was a hint of a foreign broke upon her tongue, an accent that didn't quite match her usual cadence. It was a hollow shadow of another voice breaking through the girl's lips.

 _Carthaginian_ , Emma's mind filled in, _her accent is Carthaginian with a hint of something else. I know where she's from. I just need to think. Why can't I remember it?_

Emma's grip pulled impossibly tighter on the younger woman. This close she was finally able to see the tear streaks on her olive cheeks. The rose red blush on her cheeks had grown. It now devoured half of her face from lack of oxygen and their many exertions. The blonde could finally see how young the girl truly was. Barely out of her teens, probably just able to drink and the whole fate of her world lay heavy on her shoulders.

"Why should I trust you?" Emma asked, "Who are you?"

The girl's stubborn blue eyes struggled to stare directly at her. The evident frustration was back, a scowl on her lips. Her breaths were heavy and her glare was hard. She sneered as she spoke her next words.

"I'm exactly who you think I am."

Her arms parted. The girl scrambled away to catch her breath. She stayed crouched low to the earth. The ponytail had fallen completely. Raven hair was left loose on the wind, floating in a dark halo around flushed rose cheeks. Bright blue eyes met green.

"What's your name?" Emma demanded softly, "Your real name."

There was an edge of fear in her voice but it was nothing compared to the girl before her. Odette's bright blue gaze filled with absolute terror. Sadness and misery seemed to be fighting for control in those steely blue eyes. Once again a single tear dropped down that cheek.

The girl's mouth opened but no sound came out. Instead her right hand ignited in a swirling inferno of red. The flames nervously licked away at her fingers, no sign of pain could be seen. Emma was forced to look, observe and wonder.

The sheriff's left hand reached forward to comfort. Her fingertips extended until they almost reached that flaming ball of red. The embers died away and blue eyes followed green. Their fingers barely brushed together.

"Regina!"

Emma and Odette rose to their feet together. The fireball returned full bore white once more. Twin looks of surprise fell on their new companion. Robin Hood stood before them both covered from head to toe in sweat and foliage.

"Your majesty," Odette said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Rothbart, let her go!" Robin screamed.

There was true pain in his voice. Regina didn't have to see him to know it was true. She could feel his fear and anxiety and every emotion in between invade every inch of her mind.

 _Robin,_ she chastised.

He was too scared to hear her. His pain and his emotional turmoil worked to fray their already unsteady connection. She could hear his every thought but he was blind to hers.

"My revenge means everything to me!" Rothbart said, "You will not distract me from my destiny."

Regina rolled her eyes. She regretted the action almost immediately. Tears were now the last threat to her wellbeing. Her throat constricted to a much more pressing and painful level. There was now no oxygen coming to her brain and thoughts began to dissolve because of it.

Black spots filled her vision completely. She was forced into a new, strange angle against her will. The Queen was forced to see herself risen well off the ground. Her hands were limp at her sides. Her feet were pointed, straining to gain traction on a ground she had no hope of touching. Her heart hammered in her chest and gave an odd lurch to the side.

"Stop!" Robin's voice thundered from her lips, "Please! I'll… I'll do anything."

Rothbart didn't let her go. Instead an unholy chuckle fell from his dark lips. His shoulders shook with maddening mirth. He dropped his hand and Regina rose higher.

"Anything," the madman said, "How strange and yet so familiar. Do you think I was granted my happiness by begging? I laid myself bare at their feet and they did nothing! You… you wish to destroy my happiness just as your father and grandfather had. You… You're just as selfish as them."

A scream echoed through the air. It struck a strange chord in Regina's chest and forced her heart to leap once again. Her eyes turned towards its source. It was dismay that filled the queen's veins next. The person screaming in pain was her.

"Let her go!" Robin begged, "Take me instead."

"No!" Rothbart hissed, "She too must be punished. That's the final ingredient of my spell. It needs the heart of the thing I love most."

And suddenly Regina knew why Robin was so panicked. She felt it deep in her bones too. Her eyes, Robin's borrowed blue eyes, looked down away from the screaming olive face and blood red lips. They were glued to the protruding stomach, swollen with life.

Rothbart was going to use their baby.

It was love that filled Regina's heart then. Her whole soul began to glow with her child's safety in mind. The connection of two minds twisted and morphed until thoughts no longer existed. Both parents fought valiantly to allow their love to overflow.

The image that appeared was of pure white. The flow of energy and love was staggeringly overpowering. Nothing else could penetrate its thick fog.

Regina's feet slammed hard into the ground. She ignored the pain and continued to funnel the love. The white flung itself from her hands, Robin's too she was sure. Together they felt a new golden shimmer join in with their mixed powers. Emma's warmth helped to increase their attack.

A flash filled the air. Warm wind billowed forth from every which way. Regina watched as both savior and outlaw disappeared from view with the magical waves. It was sheer luck that allowed the queen to remain standing.

Chocolate eyes rose in fear of the next attack. Instead she was amazed to find no such attacker anywhere. Rothbart, his smug grin and stupid red cape was gone. There was no sign of the madman anywhere. There was only the queen, the savior and the outlaw.

Something was wrong.

It was at that moment everything fell into place. Robin's blue eyes grew wide with fright. He barely had time to call out her name before the queen felt a large jab in her neck. Her throat enclosed, air barely passing through. A spray of red filtered past the peripheral of her vision.

Her blood was spilt. It shot through the air and entered the wishing well exactly as planned. A dark shadowy arm pressed hard upon her abdomen, forcing the blood to cover the cream blouse.

"Revenge will be mine," Rothbart said.

The queen was forced to watch as her own blood betrayed her. It absorbed the shadows and took on a strange green glow. Regina watched as the now green substance peeled off of her and traveled over that stupid wishing well. It hovered for a moment before it fell into the giant vat.

Her heart stopped. Her breath left her lungs. Panic began to fill her every thought, her every vein. She sprang forward with fear gripped firmly in her heart.

"Regina, no!" Robin said.

But it was already too late.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Your majesty."

Odette automatically stepped forward. Her feet spread until they were in a perfect fourth position pose. Her knees bent slightly. Her slender hips plunged forward. Her tangled tresses fell forward in her steep bow. Then her back straightened abruptly. Her hands found home on her thighs and began rubbing away nervously.

There was a cringing pucker to her lips now. Her blue eyes were gone, hidden behind eyes shut tight. A rose red blush of embarrassment now decorated her dimpled cheeks. She forced herself to breathe deeply before addressing her apparent mistake.

"I probably shouldn't have done that, should I?" She asked.

Emma was too stunned for words. She opened her mouth, struggling to find the right thing to say but nothing came to mind. Her green gaze shot to Robin Hood. She could see the same confusion mirrored so plainly on his stubbled face. His dimples were almost invisible behind the scruff.

His steps were stunted as he stepped forward. His blue eyes were shining. His chest heaved. One solid pointer finger came out and pointed at the girl before him.

"I know you," Robin said.

Odette stepped back. Alarm enveloped her features. Her head shook left to right and then back again. Her voice sounded like a garbled mess when at next she spoke.

"No," she said, "You don't."

"I…" Robin said, "You're not Regina..."

"No," Odette agreed, "I'm not."

Robin Hood stared at her in absolute confusion. His pointing index finger continued violently stabbing through the air. He briefly turned his head before sudden recognition enveloped his bright blue gaze. Excitement took over his features, a new innocence about to be popped.

"Emma," he said, "You're Emma and she's… She's… Why can't I remember your name?"

The poor man looked in completely frazzled distress. His face crumbled as he stared at the raven haired girl. His hand opened palm up. He stepped forward again and tried to touch the young girl's cheek. She stepped away with a look of disgust.

Robin looked defeated. His head bowed with his hand. He looked up to stare at the girl, tears glistening in his confused blue eyes.

"I know you," he said.

Odette shook her head, denial her only defense.

"Your sister-" Robin tried a new approach, "I love her."

Emma stared at him in wonder. The poor thief looked on the precipice of confusion and elation. Whatever his thoughts were, they were not running smoothly from his mind. He was continuously stumbling over his words. His blinking was rapid and Emma feared he was still heavily drugged.

"I love your sister just as much as I love you," he said.

Odette's reaction confused Emma further. The blonde sheriff watched as the tears mixed with confusion and pain. Her lips tilted upwards for a moment before schooling her features to an impassive neutral.

 _Just like her mother… her mother?_

Emma's breath caught at the odd thought her mind made.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The white light was already pouring from her hands. It eagerly mixed with the madman's vile curse and refused to be stopped. Regina filled the dark curse with every ounce of love she had. She poured herself into that curse.

Thoughts of Henry and his smile filled her mind. She could almost hear his wonderful laugh, see his bright beaming smile. Little Roland was quick to fill her vision. His tiny cherubic face was dimpled with laughter and happiness. He was eagerly begging for another story, another ice cream, another anything he could get his hands on.

Baby Cora was still too young for that. Her tiny hands were still grabbing at anything she could find. Her bright blue eyes were always filled with wonder and merriment. She was still obsessed with learning about everything.

And Gods could she move. That girl wasn't happy unless someone was chasing her. Her little squeals of laughter would soon send everyone into smiling fond fits.

Then there was Robin. Her darling, beloved Robin was the most beautiful of all. He was always there giving her hope. He never once stopped reminding her of all the good she could do.

She shouldn't have been surprised that Emma and Snow came next. Those two couldn't help but worm their way into her heart. She could remember every story, every little anecdote they shared of their menial days whenever they were given a chance to have them.

Even the male members of the Charming clan were thrust into her mind. She could hear Hook casually give another lude comment. Emma would smack his arm and he and Regina would share childish grins over their cups. Prince Charming himself would give the pirate the stink eye before playfully winking at Regina's quick sarcastic whip.

Baby Neal was always happy to play with Cora. He was all too eager to share his toys with her. He wouldn't even mind when she started chewing on them instead of playing. It wasn't rare to see the two holding hands and napping side by side. Their faces were always mere inches away from each other.

This was her family. These were the people she loved most in all the realms. She wouldn't let Rothbart win. He was a villain, a true immoral soul. He didn't deserve this curse.

So the queen continued focusing on her family. She thought about the stupid dwarves she had somehow groan affection for. She thought of the stubborn sister who still struggled to be better. Zelena was trying with all her might to be someone worthy of the love she so desperately wanted. And she loved having someone there who not only understood, but wanted to help in any way possible.

Granny and her stupid wolf hearing. Frankenstein and his need to help even to his own detriment. There wasn't a single soul in Storybrooke who hadn't found their way into the Evil Queen's heart, thawing her cold exterior until she was a warm gushy pile of goo just like the rest of them.

That was the thing she loved most. Storybrooke was her home. It was the place where Regina Mills came to be. It was the place of second chances. Everything the queen gained was because of Storybrooke, Maine.

The love burst forth on its own now. It devoured what little evil remained of Rothbart's darkness. The white mixture looked so beautiful when poured into the dark curse.

It ended with a bang. The white light soared into the sky to the protective barrier of Storybrooke before it dispersed. The only remnants were that of a warm silk breeze and a soft, loving caress. They were safe once more.

"Whoa," Emma gasped, "Why can't you do that to all the curses in town?"

"Because people would get tired of casting them and you'd be out of a job," Regina replied.

She smiled at the exchange of sarcasm. The savior too couldn't help but beam. Even Robin Hood's stern façade fell away to dimpled laughter. They were a laughing mess the three of them, but they felt like true heroes.

A deep wrenching began to pull at the queen's gut. Something hot poured from within. It was sticky and gave off a sweet iron scent. Another pull and the queen's breath left her lungs.

She watched as the happy faces fell from her friend and lover. Together they moved as one to gently grasp her elbows. The pain pulled her away. She couldn't look at their faces if she wanted to maintain control.

Regina grabbed her stomach, pain and fear suddenly filling her every thought. Another wave of pain sent her over the edge. She collapsed onto the well and bit down to keep from screaming. The pain was impossible to describe.

 _Something's wrong._

The queen reluctantly looked down. Rothbart was right. The curse was coming. They had failed.

"Regina!" Robin's voice sounded far more shrill than ever before.

"We need to get her to the hospital," Emma said.

The savior was right. Regina had to bite down another moan to keep herself standing. Her hand caressed her swollen belly. Tears prickled her eyes as she witnessed the full extent of Rothbart's wicked evil plan.

Blood pooled beneath her feet. Her swollen stomach gave another burst of pain and this time she couldn't contain the howl from her lips. The queen gripped the stone wall of the wishing well with all of her might. She took a deep breath, then another to quell the growing nausea. She looked up in time to see Robin and Emma racing her way.

"The bug," she said, "We have to get to the bug, Emma."

"No Regina," Emma shook her head, "We don't have time."

"No," Regina argued because she had to. This was her child.

"No… Emma we have to. Rumpelstiltskin said only four would escape. This is what he was-"

She tried to finish. She tried to convey the true horror she now knew. They were too late. Once again a child would be raised with a family cursed.

"No Regina!" this time the voice belonged to Robin, "We can't."

Regina opened her mouth to argue but a new surge of pain broke through. The scream took over. She could barely breathe. She felt like she was being ripped apart from the outside.

"This will work," she tried, "She'll come back for you. She will always find you."

"Regina, the baby's coming!" Emma said.

The queen didn't understand. The pain was too intense and the fear in Robin's eyes too great. They had no other choice. If they wanted to save everyone, to be together again, they had to put the baby and the kids in the bug.

"The baby's coming, Regina," Emma said, "No magic portals. No escape to be freed in twenty-eight years. We're done. It's over! We've lost."

"But at least we'll be together, yeah?" Robin tried.

Regina opened her mouth to argue. She felt the need to stamp down their doubts. She had hope. She felt the love. She used love!

The curse wasn't fueled by hate. It was being fueled by love. They had a chance.

Emma suddenly grabbed her hands. Green eyes battle chocolate into submission. A gentle hand removed some sweaty strands of raven from the queen's eyes. The blonde savior's bottom lip trembled.

"Listen," she said, "We have to go to the hospital. If you go in the bug now she will die. We have to give her her best chance."

Regina felt the hope fade away with those words. A great sorrow filled her bones. The world began spinning on its axis. She could only nod her head in agreement.

With a flick of Robin's wrist, they were gone.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"I know who you are," Robin repeated, staring at the girl with nothing but pure adoration.

"No," Odette said, "You don't. You can't… Rothbart cursed you too. You don't know… you don't remember. You're not allowed to."

Robin grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her towards him. His finger gently traced the contours of her face. His right pointer finger outlined every inch of her rounded rosebud cheeks; from the stormy blue eyes so much like his own to the tiny divots he seemed to sense though they were yet to appear with him there. Tears shimmered in his eyes.

Emma stepped forward with worry coloring her every thought. But she couldn't understand why she was so worried nor the impulse to hold the brunette in her arms and never let go. She only knew the flaming desire in her heart to protect the younger woman with everything she had.

Odette had other plans though. Her young face seemed to revel in the attention displayed. She closed her eyes for a moment of pure bliss. Her nose gently nuzzled into the offered palm. Her eyes blew open wide, fear and hate blinding them.

"You just remember her…" Odette cried, "It's the rule of the curse. You can't know who I am."

The girl began to step back. She was running Emma realized. The girl pulled her green jacket tighter to her chest to make for a quick retreat. And Robin looked so stunned and hurt by the play he made no move to grab her. He was just standing there thinking when he needed to act. Why didn't he act? And why did Emma suddenly care so much for the girl's feelings.

Odette's form continued to pedal backwards. Her raven locks shook from one side to the other. Tears of pain cascaded down her beautiful puckered cheeks. A shaking left hand clasped around her lips to hold in the agony she wanted to clearly scream.

"You know nothing," she said, "You gave me hope. You made me think that I wouldn't lose you… that you'd somehow remember, but it was all a lie. You-"

The girl's tears restrained all other sound. Her head continued quaking. She turned away from her apparent heartbreak. She ventured towards the very woods that caused her pain. A twig snapped underfoot. A dead leaf crunched angrily. Her feet wandered toward the path that would lead her away from them.

Emma stepped forward, eager to stop her. She turned to the confused man before her. There was something in her heart begging him to stop the girl. Something inside deep was struggling to break free of this damn curse's horrid hold. She wanted the outlaw to fix this before it was too late and they were lost forever.

"You're just like your mother," Robin called.

Odette froze. Her whole body went rigid. The gravel of the path shrieked and groan as her worn boots turned to point in the opposite direction.

Blue eyes turned towards her captive audience. The tears were falling less freely now. She made no move forward but Emma knew hope when she saw it. The girl looked almost like Snow with that hope shining like a beacon.

"I know who you are," Robin repeated, "Because you are mine… You are mine and… You're mine-"

"And?" Odette asked desperately, "I'm yours and whose… Who is my mother?"

Emma found herself straining to hear the answer. Her whole body was wound into a tight bow of hope. A bit of wind flittered into their tiny cocoon. Something cold began to form on her cheeks. The blonde lifted her hand to find a wetness there she wasn't previously aware of. She too was crying.

"Tell me who my mother is," Odette demanded.

She stepped forward with sudden bravery. Her face melded into one of determination. A new note entered her vocal chords. She sounded far different than she did moments before. She was no longer the blubbering mourning child. She was a fully-fledged adult in command, a queen on the rise.

"Who's my mother?" She said.

Now it was Robin who stepped back. His paces were quick and hurried and still they matched the girl's stride for stride. He barely gave a thought to looking behind him. He ignored the trees and weeds on the overgrown pathway. It was pure instinct that drove him towards the Mills Mausoleum.

But when he was at the precipice of entering the field of the protection spell, Robin Hood stopped. His head bobbed forward. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down once, twice, three times. His form bowed and crumpled to the girl's strong presence.

"I know you," he said.

His confidence grew with that one chant. His back straightened. His shoulders squared off against his challenger. He stepped forward once, twice. Hesitation hit only when he saw the desperation written so clearly on the young girl's face.

Again his hand shot out this time his right. His lion tattoo made itself clear as day. But the arm and the hand attached fell away before contact could be made.

"I do know you," he said, "I just… I can't seem to… Why can't I remember your name? It's such a beautiful name."

"Who is my mother?" The girl asked, "Answer me and I will believe you."

"Your mother is…" Robin swallowed and struggled with whatever thoughts were in his mind.

He stepped forward.

"Your mother is-"

He licked his lips. His blue eyes clouded for a moment. His steps faltered. A strange look of bafflement filled his features.

"Your mother is-"

Robin Hood's blue eyes blew wide. He turned to the girl with a boyish smile. His dimples came out to coast his cheeks and take away all hints of his age.

"Regina."

He robbed the girl of her personal space without a second thought. New light glistened in his eyes but he kept his gaze firm. He stared into the depths of his accuser and smiled all the wider.

"Your mother is Regina."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Push, Regina!" Snow encouraged gently.

Regina pushed. She felt the pressure and the pain take over. She couldn't hear anything. Blood was too busy rushing through her head and threatening to burst her eardrums. She screamed, at least she thought she did. Her mouth was open of that she was certain. She just couldn't be sure how loud she was at the moment.

"Good," Frankenstein said, "you're doing well, Regina. Just take a moment to catch your breath and we'll begin again on your next contraction."

"I can't," Regina groaned.

The pain was already building again. Her legs were falling asleep. She was positive she was crushing Snow's hand. Her throat felt on fire. Hell, every inch of her body felt on fire.

For a moment the queen's vision began to blur. She couldn't quite catch her breath either. Silently she blamed that blasted squealing to her left. It was far too loud and her nerves were already frayed enough as is.

"Get me more blood!" Frankenstein screamed, "Regina, you need to breathe. Snow, talk to her. Help her concentrate."

"Regina, breathe," Snow said, "Look at me, Regina. You need to push now, okay? Just focus on pushing until that baby girl is out."

Push. She could do that. Snow White popped into focus as soon as the thought crossed. The queen focused all of her strength on pushing exactly as ordered. She ignored the constant wail of sirens. She paid no heed to the many nurses moving in and out of view. Even Dr. Frankenstein was a blur near the end of the bed.

Snow White and the baby were all that mattered.

"Okay Regina, you're doing great," Snow encouraged, "Not much longer. You just need to breathe okay? Focus on me and breathe."

Regina nodded her head. She barely had energy to sit up anymore. So she watched Snow's lips and did everything she could to focus on her words. There was something about blood that kept flittering in the background.

 _Was the baby bleeding? Did Rothbart's plan work? That was impossible. The Dark Curse only worked if you sacrificed the heart of the thing you love most and Rothbart didn't have that. He couldn't have her baby's heart…_

Awareness slowly crept upon the queen. Her hazy chocolate gaze finally turned away from the princess squeezing her right hand. Now she saw the many bloody rags moving in and out of the room. There was startled worry on the nurses' faces, not fear as she originally thought. They weren't afraid of her.

They were worried about the baby.

With the realization the squealing returned tenfold. The blurriness took over. The familiar white walls and endless ceiling were now just blobs on the horizon. The sudden urge to sleep struck hard.

Regina felt a hand roughly yank her jaw away. Something black interrupted the white fog. Blood red lips began moving up and down in a swift motion. A loud garbled noise assaulted her right ear and continued to climb in volume.

"You are not leaving me, Regina!" a voice, a familiar rough hue and spirited lilt of hope was now filled with so much doom and gloom. Why did that sound so weird, so foreign?

"You are going to hold on," that voice said again, "Do you hear me? You need to stay awake for that baby!"

 _Baby…_

 _That baby…_

 _What baby?_

 _The baby!_

Snow White came back into view in an instant. Her raven pixie hair now stuck to her sweaty brows. She was the one now hold on for dear life to Regina's hand. A soft smile and huge sigh issued from her blood red lips.

"Welcome back," she said, "Now push!"

And push she did, screaming all the while. God she felt on fire. There was a blazing inferno decorating every inch of her skin, especially the more delicate areas. She didn't even have time to catch her breath before she was pushing again. Her screams filled the room of that she was sure. Still it wasn't enough to hide the distant sound of double doors slamming open, an uninvited guest come to witness her humiliation.

"Okay the head's out," Snow whispered into her ear, "Next will be the shoulders. Breathe."

Finally she could stop.

"It's alright Regina," Frankenstein cooed, "Just a little bit longer and the pain will be gone."

Oh she had a few words for him. She was going to rip his throat out when this was done. Then she was going to turn him into one of her sister's flying monkeys. No, she was going to have her sister turn him into a flying monkey and make him war one of those silly hats.

There was another hand on her arm now. This one was bigger, stronger. There were callouses there that were achingly familiar. It was a man, of that she was certain. The man smelled suspiciously like forest and had the stunning audacity to kiss her knuckles.

"We can't stop the bleeding," Whale said.

"Like hell you can't!" Emma replied; yes, that had to be Emma. Swan was the only person besides herself willing to give the good Doctor Frankenstein her two cents without fear of the Wicked Witch retaliating. Of course Regina had her own reasons for hating him but she got that out of her system by imprisoning him in this God-Forsaken-Town in the first place!

"Just do what you can and get that baby out!" Emma finished, "We don't have much time left."

Another rough hand was in her now. The forest smelling man was rubbing soothing circles into her temples and it felt good, sooo good. Regina had to struggle to stay awake. The pull to sleep was stronger the more he kept doing that, but then another sloppy wet kiss landed on her knuckles.

"Regina," Robin whispered.

 _Robin!_ That was the man's name. He was important to her and the baby. Yes, he was the baby's father… and her husband. Regina smiled as she stared into his amazing blue eyes.

She hoped the baby had his eyes.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he replied.

"You made it just in time."

He unleashed a garbled sound. Small crystalline raindrops fell from his eyes, staining his stubbled cheeks.

In time for what she couldn't remember. Snow was shouting at her again. There was something about the baby and she needed to brace herself but her vision was foggy again and she needed to blink just to see Robin's eyes again.

"Regina, push!" Frankenstein called.

 _Oh right!_

Regina pushed. She pushed with both hands clawing away at the hands in her grasp. She pushed until that fiery pain was all she felt. Blurriness was now giving way to black. She could see the horrendous spots decorating her vision as if they belonged there, as if they had a right.

She unleashed a highly inappropriate scream. The squealing intensified in rhythm with her. Suddenly, a new sound pierced the commotion of beeping monitors and frenzied doctors. Someone else was screaming right along with her.

Her vision picked that moment to focus on the new squealing thing in the room. Dr. Frankenstein held in his arms a tiny pink bundle, squirming and squealing in pain, fear and discomfort. The queen wanted to join her in the fit. Tears were already stinging her eyes.

"You did it," Snow cheered.

"We have a daughter," Robin said, "We have another beautiful daughter, Regina."

Regina felt a big sloppy wet kiss to her temple. Pride soon followed. Her eyes couldn't stop staring at this tiny pink bundle in Frankenstein's arms. Now if she could just get rid of those damn black spots in her vision.

"Snow, look out!" Someone screamed.

Regina turned in the direction of Snow White. She saw the tendrils of red bolting towards the hospital windows. The curse was here.

"No!" Regina screamed.

She jumped from the bed just as the first tendrils of red broke through the hospital window. She was too fast for anyone to stop her. Many hands were still flailing when Regina grabbed her child and took the squealing babe from the doctor's arms.

"Regina, what are you-" Emma said.

"Whale's not from our realm!"

And the red smoke overtook them.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

When the smoke cleared it was to the revelation of familiar pines and unkempt grass. Wild foliage of all kinds was thick and unkempt. The familiar treads of old were now overgrown. The only sign of human life of any kind existed solely in the gazebo twenty yards away.

It too lay unkempt. Half of the ceiling had collapsed. The once red cushions were now a faded yellow mass of feathers and sun-bleached satin. Any carpeting that had been was either nibbled by vermin or growing bits of moss and some other moldy green substance. The stone slab too now had cracks through its once smooth pristine surface.

"We're back," Snow White said.

It was a horrible statement, one filled with too many emotions to decipher or understand. Her facial expression alone displayed the mixture of fear and disappointment, longing for home. Her clothes were a little too big, still designed for a woman at the end of her pregnancy instead of a mother well past the pains of labor and onto the stage of a fussy toddler.

Her white robe did well to hide any semblance of distress. She was a swallowed lump in the mass of waist high green. Prince Charming looked far less ridiculous than his lovely wife, probably because his outfit still fit in all the proper places. No weight had been lost or gained since his last travel through realms.

His green vest still had the same vibrancy from the day the second curse had been cast. The golden rivulets in his sleeves were still visible to the eye. Even the intricate detail of his plain leather pants still held every muscle under perfect scrutiny.

But issues were far more pressing at the moment. A new babe was crying high in her mother's arms, an endless bundle of pink against a stark black and blue. Long raven billowed out of a half-pony tail on the top of the queen's head. Her cheeks turned pale and her skin a deathly white.

The child was unceremoniously shoved into the nearest pair of arms, Grumpy the dwarf had to pull back to keep the crying babe from falling. And her mother unleashed a wicked scream of pain and horror unfit for any years. Both of the young boys had matching brown eyes blown wide in horror as they watched their mother teeter dangerously to the left before collapsing to her right.

Robin barely caught Regina in time. Her raven hair was trapped again his chest and yanked her head back at a horrible angle. The outlaw had to struggle to bring the woman to much more comfortable position. It was then, when Robin Hood's wife was finally snug in his arms, that the group began to see the stark traces of red dripping to the earth below.

"Get her to the gazebo," Snow White ordered.

She and Emma Swan moved to rid the cracked stone of its moldy dressings. They were quick to gather coats and cloaks alike to make a bed fit for the bleeding queen. Prince Charming removed his own shirt to act as a pillow while Little John took off his quiver. Delicately the queen was placed upon her bed of cloth and Doc, the healing dwarf, waved over.

"Her heartbeat's weak," Robin observed.

His hands had yet to move away from his wife's. He was at the side while the prince acted as a pillow in case the birthing process was not completely done. Together they watched the queen's every shallow breath and silently prayed for recovery.

"It's the placenta," Doc called from under the queen's skirts, "It must have ruptured and that's why it wasn't removed before the curse struck… I can't fix this."

His voice displayed more than regret or even fright. There was genuine worry there, a defeat they hadn't seen coming. The queen's whimpers were growing softer. Her skin now was matching the blue of her dress. Her lips lacked their usual luster. Beads of sweat were now dripping from her brow to her temples. Prince Charming was doing everything he could to wipe it away and still it wasn't enough.

Nothing was.

"Her pulse is fading," Robin said.

He sounded in a fog. His eyes kept counting his wife's breaths. There was something cold glistening within those bright blues. His cheeks were red and full of life, not the same dull shade as the queen's.

"She's not letting me share," he said.

Emma had enough. The blood was still pouring thick. Her position beside Doc and her mother allowed her to see every deadly detail. And the savior's heart was pounding with despair because of it. The decision was made without any consideration for the consequences, damn them all to hell anyway.

Emma Swan, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming the savior of Storybrooke and Happy Endings alike, made a decision out of love. She thundered the two steps it took to the queen's belly. She crouched low, landing on her knees with a dull thud. Her right hand fell on that once bloated belly of life and her eyes closed.

Magic swirled around the queen's middle. White magic, grey magic, even sparks of gold were put to use. Emma made certain every ounce of her thoughts and feelings and frustrations came into play. She used everything she had and more to provide what the medical professional could not.

Regina gasped. A quiet moan escaped her lips before she was screaming once again. Agony burst the eardrums of everyone surrounding her. Tears struck every eye and something was violently slamming into Emma's back, but the savior kept going.

"Emma stop!" Regina said.

That did it. The magic ended and Emma felt her vision blur and her head spin. For one agonizing moment she thought her breath had ceased and her life was forfeit. But her beloved Captain Gook popped into view with his ever charming smile and a smoldering kiss on her lips.

"You did it, love," he said.

Emma bolted up from her position. Dizziness gave way to excitement. She bounced to her rightful place beside her best friend, the royal queen of the Enchanted Forest. Regina Mills was once again scowling up at her with frustration and anger in her look.

"You idiot," she said, "You've wasted your magic and now we have nothing protecting us from Rothbart."

"A simple thank you would suffice milady," Robin Hood said and he couldn't hide his happy tone even if he wanted to, "after all she did save your life."

The queen huffed but the smile was there, glinting in her bright chocolate eyes. Somehow the woman found the energy to sit up. She grabbed onto the too stunned Prince Charming and her own beloved husband. Together they watched as she tried to stand before action was taken. Both Robin Hood and the prince were none-too-gentle in forcing the queen back down to the ground.

"You're not going anywhere," Robin said.

"Dammit Regina you almost died," Charming finished, "Now is not the time to be stubborn."

Regina looked regretful of her actions but the familiar stubborn tilt of her jaw told them all they needed to know. She struggled to push herself up again. This time everyone worked together to keep her down.

"We have to get going," Regina said, "Rothbart could attack at any moment. We can't stay out in the open. It's too dangerous. Too many lives are at stake."

"And you are a woman who just gave birth in the Enchanted Forest," Snow said, "You're not going anywhere when you've barely survived the transition over. Who knows what other ailments could be with you. You can't move. Your life and that of your child's depends on it."

And on cue the new baby girl called out her frustrations. The newest, youngest member of the Charming-Hood-Mills clan wailed out her protests. The little bundle of pink held tight in Grumpy's arms moved and wiggled for freedom.

"Fine," Regina agreed, "but we leave tomorrow. No later than noon. We can't take any chances."

It was a sign of just how tired she was that she gave no further argument. Even Snow White kept her mouth shut at the stipulation. As much as any of them wanted to stay until the queen was fully recovered, she was correct. They needed to move. Rothbart was too dangerous of a foe to stay in the open for long.

"Here," Grumpy said, "This little one's just as demanding as her mother."

"Odette," Regina said, "Her name is Odette… after Emma."

That took the savior by surprise.

"What?" She said.

It was Robin Hood who nodded his head right along with the others. A cheeky smirk flared his dimples. Her pulled his new daughter into his arms and gave a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He crouched low and placed the child gently on her mother's chest. Regina's chocolate gaze struggled not to close as she watched her youngest daughter move.

"The story of the Swan Princess," Robin said, "We thought it would be fitting. I agreed because it is my mother's name as well. It's a fitting title, don't you think? Named for a savior and a queen."

A soft loll filled the gazebo then. Two very eager boys struggled to join their family and greet their newest sibling. The two toddlers didn't understand the situation but the giggled and gurgled happily. It was the silence that needed to be broken.

"Where do we go now?" Emma asked, "The first curse destroyed almost everything except where Cora's protection spell was cast. The second curse didn't have any of that. Is there even a safe place for all of us to go?"

"My castle," Regina said, "I protected it before the second curse was cast. It's still there."

"And if your castle is there so too is Rumple's," Charming supplied, "Very well. We have a plan. Tomorrow we leave for the queen's castle. Jiminy, send word to all seeking shelter go to the queen's castle on the Southern border."

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:** Robin and Emma battle to bring back Regina's stolen memories. Flashbacks show Robin Hood and Rothbart in a battle for the title of King. In the tradition of Fantasia a fight to the death begins in the test of Penelope.


	12. The Test of Penelope

**A/N:** Well, did you guess it? Again feel free to leave a review even if you think this is crap. The point of my fanfiction is to improve my writing. Can't exactly do that without feedback, can I? Leave a holler or if you would prefer p.m. me. Either way helps me get better at the endgame of becoming a novel writer.

Enjoy!

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma Swan had never before seen a smile so bright in all the realms. The man before her looked practically pleased as punch as he stared at the girl with raven hair. His hands dug into those very locks and gave them a gentle run through. His eyes took in every detail of her face like a man in the desert discovering water.

Robin Hood drank her in. The dimples on his cheeks were on full display and his digging hands landed on cheeks an exact replica of his own. Twin smiles on dimpled cheeks told Emma Swan all she needed to know.

"Your name is Odette Locksley," Robin said, "youngest child of King Robin and the Good Queen Regina. The blood that runs through your veins is ours, the product of soulmates, princess of second chances."

The girl's answering smile seemed to grow impossibly brighter. A soft giggle fell from perfect ruby lips. She shook her head free of the few tears that remained. She crushed herself into the older man's hold. Together the two melded into a deep embrace none could ever dare break again.

"I missed you, Papa."

Emma watched the pair in shock. She stumbled backwards as the weight of meaning came crashing down on her. Fresh tears surged forth from her eyes. She was torn. She wanted to jump for joy and join in on that wonderful hug. Yet she also wanted to scream and holler in pain for other reasons entirely.

"Wait, you…" Emma gasped, "You're Regina's daughter?"

Two pairs of blue eyes and those same dimples turned on her. The smiles were so identical Emma stepped back further in fright. She nearly found herself crashing to the ground she was so distraught.

Still the sheriff wiped herself off. She forced herself to be strong and her body to exhibit those features exactly. She stepped forward with her chin held high an accusing finger pointed solely at the girl.

"You can't be…" she said, "Regina can't… You're impossible."

The girl's smile shifted then. The dimples were still there just less prominent and hidden behind those deadly red lips. A familiar upward tilt took hold of those same lips. Eyelids drooped into a malevolent mirror. The smirk hid away the light and image of Robin of Loxley and instead submerged into a perfect replica of the Evil Queen.

"So I've been told," Odette said.

"This can't be happening."

Emma was in shock. That was the only way to describe the shortness of breath and the heat in her cheeks. Her hands were shaking. Why were her hands shaking? She wasn't even nervous. She definitely needed to catch her breath though.

"This is just-" she stammered, "Robin you can't honestly believe this!"

The outlaw simply frowned at her statement. He stepped away from the crying girl and towards the sheriff. Emma backed away, fear suddenly flashing to the forefront of her mind. She raised her hands and watched as her magic shimmered on her fingertips.

It burst forth as her anxiety grew. Robin Hood stepped in front of the raven haired girl. His two palms rose up in defense. Emma watched as her magic was stopped by a wall of blue flame.

Suddenly the anxiety was gone.

"What the hell?" She said, "Since when did you have magic?"

The questions kept coming after that. Her mouth was an unfiltered waterfall of words and confusion. The sheriff watched as the many emotions flittered around the outlaw's face. She tried to stop her mouth from the flow of uncontained thought, but she couldn't.

This was all too impossible.

Finally Robin had enough. His heavy hands slammed onto her shoulders and squeezed with patient affection. Emma found her mouth stop at the action alone. It had been so long since the man before her did that. Stubborn tears were once again prickling at her eyes. She fought the emotions back and tried to focus on the outlaw's lips.

"You will get your answers Emma I promise you," Robin said, "but right now there are more pressing issues on our hands."

"You're right," Emma said, "But first thing's first."

All three forest dwellers disappeared from the woods, no other sign of their presence than the small tendrils of white smoke left far behind. A man; brown hair, sharp blue eyes and a three piece tailored suit, walked from behind the giant maple tree. Upon his face was a brought, pleased smile. Ryan Prince's nimble fingers were quick as they dialed into his phone.

"They found him sir," he said, "They'll soon be on their way. Prepare yourself, your majesty. Your queen will soon wake."

And with that he disappeared in a puff of sulfuric charcoal smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin was nervous. He could feel the untapped energy flowing through every artery, every capillary, every infernal vein thrummed with it. He could barely stop the sparks from spouting out of his fingertips.

"You just have to concentrate," a voice said.

"I am concentrating!"

The sparks flew into a full blown bolt. It struck just above the savior's blonde head. Emma, kind and gracious as always, didn't even flinch at the near fatal blow. A sad sort of smirk appeared on her lips instead. She shrugged her shoulders and casually pointed to his still sparkling hands.

"See," she said, "When you focus your anger it gets better."

She gave him one of her sheepish grins and playfully bounced back and forth on her toes. She raised her hands and gave him a silly little wink. Her blonde hair floated strangely in the air.

"Now," she said, "Attack!"

Robin tried, he really did. He just couldn't focus on his anger long enough to get the sparks to shoot out. Instead he only almost set a curtain on fire. Thankfully Emma was quick or Regina would have killed them both within seconds of finding out.

"Robin," Emma sighed, "What's going on? You have the anger and you're focusing it just fine. Why can't you attack me?"

The outlaw rolled his eyes. It wasn't exactly his fault. He tried everything to perfect this one silly attack. But his opponent was Emma Swan. The woman was a friend, family really. How was he supposed to attack her?

"No offense," Robin said, "But you and I aren't exactly enemies as it were."

The blonde seemed to understand immediately. A cheeky grin once again lit up her features. Her left hand shot out towards the only other living soul in the Mausoleum. Captain Hook was brandished into the middle of the practice room with a giant shove and an ungraceful landing.

"Bloody hell Swan that's bad form," the pirate said.

"Well he likes me," Emma said, "Perhaps we should do it with somebody who has actually hurt him. You know, somebody who say threatened to kill him in the past and almost did so if not for the fact that he was family."

The savior nodded her head as if that solved anything. Both men glared at her. The blonde simply winked at them both in reply.

"Come on," she said, "We haven't got all day."

The pirate readied himself by drawing his sword. His chiseled chin drew back. His eyes turned to tiny slits. His entire face took on that of one in absolute pain.

"Alright mate," he said, "Come at me."

The sparks died at Robin's fingertips. His left hand shot out towards the pirate, who flinched expectantly, and he sighed. The outlaw made certain the savior looked him straight on.

"This is pointless," he said, "I've no ill will towards your pirate any more than for what you did to Cora… and you forced her birth several months too early. If I should hate either of you it would be you for endangering my child."

The sparks returned but even they lacked their usual stubborn lick. They couldn't even maintain their blue color. They were red and yellow blobs pulsing up and down his middle fingers. The hate was there but there was something else, something wicked bubbling under the surface.

Robin Hood knew fear was always going to be his downfall.

"I've got an idea," Emma said.

She seemed immune to doubt. So long spent under her parents' constant tutelage of hope and love had finally gotten to her. She was officially a Charming inside and out, an optimist impossible of stopping. The savior waved her hand and her pirate disappeared behind a cloud of white smoke.

What appeared in his stead definitely sent Robin's veins on fire. Standing exactly where the pirate had once been was a skunk of a man. His hair was cut back to a short buzz, a haircut more appropriate for the men of the military in the Land without Magic. His hazel eyes were still filled with hate. A black leather jacket was the only thing the man, far shorter than Hook by a few inches at least, could ever have in common.

A red shirt peaked out from underneath said leather jacket. His denim jeans even held the same blackness that resided in his heart. Instead of a rapier or dagger at his hip there was a flagon of whatever alcoholic beverage he worshipped this week. This poor pathetic excuse of a man was none other than the Sheriff of Nottingham himself, Robin Hood's greatest enemy.

"There," Emma said, "That should do it."

"What?" The sheriff said and oh how Robin hated that sleazy voice.

The sparks came as the savior knew they would. Their electric hum filled the air, snapping and snarling like the caged beasts they were. Robin grinned as the darkest parts of his soul took over. He focused on that bubbling, boiling inferno that rage deep inside only this man could ever create.

"What's going on?" The sheriff asked, "Emma what is he doing? Robin… mate?"

"I'm not your mate," Robin replied.

The bolt unleashed at his command. It aimed dead center towards the blackest heart in all the lands. The bolt was white hot and his aim was true. An unfortunate white shield blocked the strike from penetrating its goal.

"Good," Emma said, "Now break my shield."

"Break your shield?" the sheriff said, "Bloody hell Swan you're not still mad about that laundry I did last week? I honestly thought I was helping."

The lightning and Robin's hatred died down with those very words. The shield once again disappeared from view. The outlaw could now clearly see the difference in stance. The sheriff was usually tall and confident, filled with a deep seated pompous belief that he was a gift to all of mankind. This man though he looked the spitting image was more adjusted to flouncing about in straight-backed leather aboard an unsteady ship.

Robin closed his eyes and felt for the strings he knew were there. He pulled and pulled until he felt the illusion give way. The sheriff disappeared and grew into the very image of the pirate Captain Hook once again.

"Emma I could have killed him," Robin sighed.

The savior didn't even look phased. Her bottom lip stuck out in a little pout before she came waltzing towards him. Delicately her hands landed on his shoulder and she gave him a quick squeeze as if it were a hug.

"I was just trying to give you some motivation," she said, "Besides it worked. If Killian had never spoken you would have-"

"Killed him," Robin said, "I would have killed the man you love, Emma. That's what would have happened."

"No," Emma shook her head, "You would have maimed or seriously injured at worst."

Her green eyes impaled him with her utmost trust. Emma Swan smiled rather sheepishly. She gave his shoulders a pat and a squeeze. Then she leaned down with her voice pitched low and confident.

"You keep forgetting you're a good man, Robin," she said, "and good men don't kill. That's what makes the sheriff of Nottingham such good practice. He's the only man who tried to marry your wife and when that didn't work he tried to help Cora manipulate Regina. I'd hate him too if I were you."

"For the record I find that man absolutely deplorable," Hook said.

He joined Emma in sitting on top of one of the men chests decorating the practice room. He even cleared away some books for his love to sit more comfortably. A candelabra was moved to a protective spot on the floor soon after and a sitting invitation was extended to the flabbergasted outlaw standing in the room's center.

"And I've killed and pillaged for a good three hundred years before Swan came around," the pirate finished with a cheeky grin of his own.

"Yes well," Robin sighed, "It's not the anger I'm lacking. It's…"

"Something else?" Emma pushed kindly.

"Something else," Robin agreed.

The outlaw slumped down on the chest beside them. His hand fell into his hands. He took deep controlling breaths but nothing helped. He was torn in two and didn't even know where to begin.

"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe you're just using the wrong emotion?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The dwarves were abuzz with panic. Leroy and Walter argued non-stop. Bashful kept trying to stop Dopey from eating anything toxic. Happy kept Mr. Clarke well-supplied with tissues. The shouting began to take over all other sound. Poor Dopey found himself trapped in the sheriff's office, his fingers firmly plugged into his ears while his five brothers bickered and fussed.

A giant white light appeared in the middle of the quarrelsome crew. The appearance was so fast and so sudden that no dwarf was left unscathed. The howling wind was their only warning. Dwarves were shot everywhere separated by gale force winds created by magic alone.

Happy landed in the garbage can. Mr. Clarke and Walter found home on the comfy office chairs. Leroy was knocked to the floor near the barren coatrack and entrance. Poor Bashful fell through glass and slammed into poor Dopey.

The six dwarves lay in groaning heaps on the floor. Not a single one was able to rise to their feet. But once the light faded, fear was the last thing on their minds.

"Emma," Walter groaned, "Wha… what brings you here?"

The dwarf yawned after speaking. Happy was quick to slap him in the back of the head while Bashful and Leroy forced the man behind them. Dopey too seemed perturbed and guilty of something.

"What's going on?" Emma asked.

Her eyes looked upon each man with suspicion before casually rising to the bars just beyond. Her mind struggled to comprehend what those very green eyes were seeing. The two cells in the station held two cots, uncomfortable and with very scratchy blankets because the mayor refused to replace them. Two unbearably soft pillows rested on these sad little beds.

"Why are we here?" Robin growled.

The outlaw effectively distracted the sheriff. The dwarves too just then took notice. They gave a tiny cheer and were quick to crowd around him. Dopey even hugged him as if they were life-long friends. Bashful and Walter removed him after much force.

It was when Odette's bright blue eyes blew wide, staring quite plainly at the jail cells in the corner, that Emma Swan realized what was wrong. Her head swung round to stare at the account again. Two cots, two blankets, two pillows, but no Ryder Wood.

"You guys let the prisoner escape!" Emma hissed.

It was now Walter who took on the bashful expression. He began stuttering something that may have been an apology. He pointed Bashful's way and quickly through him under the bus citing:

"He's the one who took an hour to find snacks so you can't blame me."

Naturally another argument came about. Leroy was accusing all of his younger brothers for every deed performed both in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. The sextet was so busy blaming each other that they failed to notice their audience no longer heard them.

"Odette," Emma said, "Where would Ryder go?"

"Who the hell is Ryder?" Robin asked, "What's going on? Where's Regina?"

"About that," Odette tried.

"No, that's not important now," Emma said, "Where would Ryder go?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Odette asked, "He came to Storybrooke for his own reasons. He's just trying to help me break this curse. I don't know what else he came here for."

"Because if we don't find him before your mother she will kill him!"

That little bit of information got more attention than intended. The bickering ceased. Odette's blue eyes darted nervously towards the outlaw. Robin Hood's features morphed away from confusion into absolute anger. Emma swallowed trying to create distance by stepping back. Naturally Robin Hood followed.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

Emma tried not to flinch at that tone. She remembered the first time she ever heard such a tone from him. He was panicked. He believed Regina was dying. He had only just come back from the dead then. It would be quite understandable for him to repeat that same voice now, when he came back to a world only he seemed to remember.

"Emma," Robin's voice was sharp as he spoke, "Where's Regina?"

"Ryder Wood," Emma explained, "He's the missing prisoner. He's also Odette's brother."

Robin stopped moving. The anger was wiped away from his face. It was confusion that once again furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. He darted his blue eyes to the girl and silently begged her for answers. Odette shamefully looked down to her toes and sulked.

"It wasn't my idea to steal from the Dark One," she muttered.

"Emma!"

Panic set the sheriff's heart aflame. She turned around, her magic already pulsing to her fingertips. Sheriff David Nolan and Deputy Killian Jones ran into the cell room of the sheriff's station. Both men were thoroughly out of breath huffing and puffing as if they ran for miles.

"It's Regina," David said, "She's at the Merry Men's camp."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Robin jumped to his feet instantly. Emma and Hook too joined him in the display of shock. Regina Mills, the eternal pain in the outlaw's ass, waltzed right into her vault as if she had a right to.

"Get your royal arse back to the hospital!" Robin yelled, "You're supposed to be resting."

Regina rolled her eyes, of course. She stepped further into the room and pointed at the lurking figure behind her. Dr. Frankenstein, complete with white lab coat and nervous expression, stood behind her. He was scratching his chest nervously and trying to blend into the stone wall.

"Relax," she said, "I brought Whale with me. I'll be fine."

"Fine?" Robin was pretty positive he was going to kill her himself, "You are recovering from dehydration! You should still be in the hospital. We even made certain you were properly drugged up for it."

"In my defense the drugs still haven't worn off," Victor Frankenstein said, "but the calculations were to her original flow of magic. Now with the crown she's burning it off faster than we can get it in her. It's going to take time for us to develop a better sedative and when I threatened to involve Henry-"

"I brought him here," Regina said, "yes, doctor. Thank you so much for the tattling. I'll be sure to give you all my cookies and take two naptimes next time."

"This isn't a game, Regina," Victor said, "This is a matter of safety. You can't keep busting out of the hospital anytime you feel like it! Next time you're going to d-"

The poor doctor never got to finish his speech. He was enveloped in a crisp violet smoke and forced away. Regina even rolled her eyes like a child. She gave them each a snarky smile and casually leaned against the wall.

"Relax," she said, "I sent him back to the hospital. I figure we have at least thirty minutes before Snow knows. She's babysitting anyway and Neal's been extra fussy."

She seemed proud as punch at that. Her shoulders even rose in merriment. If Robin wasn't so flabbergasted at the moment he'd have probably killed her. In fact, he was already considering practicing ripping hearts out with hers. Then he'd at least know why she did half the crazy things she did.

As it was he was still trying to regain his ability to think beyond murder.

"Oh hush," Regina rolled her eyes again bloody hell, "I'm fine. I used a unicorn horn to heal myself. I told Whale I didn't need his services but you all insisted I still needed a doctor. So really this is your fault."

"My fault?" Robin choked out, "How is thi-"

"If I didn't have to rescue you none of this would have happened," Regina said, "You should have known better."

The damned woman had the indecency to step away from the wall and casually peruse her mass of magical items. Robin's hands shook violently. He heard a slight electric hum enter the air.

"Rothbart wants revenge and he's using my past to do it," Regina continued, "It really isn't that hard to connect the dots. I threatened Charming to get Snow to take a bite of the apple."

"And how well did that work for you, your majesty?" Emma asked.

Robin heard the humor in her voice. He was on the verge of throttling her too. It was one thing for Regina to act so stubborn and foolish. But the savior, as her unofficially designated best friend, was supposed to be on his side.

"Exactly," Regina said, "Rothbart is going to lose just like I did. There is nothing to worry about. You're going to defeat him, Robin… It's destiny."

Then that awful wretch of a woman flashed him one of her radiant smiles and guilt took hold. Robin looked away, his eyes burning for a reason he couldn't stand to think of. He felt the air grow cold when understanding dawned.

"But that's not what you're afraid of," Regina gasped.

The sound of hopelessness in her sweet voice forced the outlaw to face her. He watched as her bottom lip trembled, her soft hands shook. He turned towards the savior and nodded her to the door.

"Right," Hook said, "That's our cue, Swan. We'll just be outside, mate."

The pirate and the savior disappeared around the corner easily. Their matching footsteps mounted the stone stairs with hastened ease. The giant oak door slammed behind them. That was the moment Robin chose to speak.

"I've no doubt, milady," Robin said, "That I will defeat the monster who killed my parents."

He stepped forward, cupping her soft face and gently pressing her down. She sat on the trunk as directed. Her chocolate eyes were filled to the brim with questions, concerns and everything in between. But her lips remained sealed, puckered with resistance to avoid speaking too soon.

His right hand came to join his left upon her silky face. His thumbs caressed the olive cheeks he loved so much. He reveled in how the queen couldn't control the impulse to close her eyes at his ministrations. He watched as a breath of ecstasy issued from her lips. He indulged in a light kiss on her forehead. Her eyes popped open and new questions formed.

"He's a villain," he said, "and true villains always stand in the way of their own happiness. You taught me that, my love."

He bent down on one knee, his hands still caressing those olive cheeks. He silently feared their loss more than anything else. His magic, likewise, pulsed forth to mix with his odd foray of emotions. He watched as the shocks failed to touch the queen's skin instead opting to caress in rhythm with his fingers.

Regina's eyes closed once again. Her throat bobbed up and down in swallow. She breathed in deep before allowing him to see those beautiful chocolate eyes. Then the question flew from her lips without restraint or remorse.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"You."

He removed his hands because he had to not because he wanted to. He could see the questions and self-doubt creeping into his beloved queen's mind. Her face contorted into one of pain and confusion. But her lips remained still and she did not voice anything. She simply waited, trusting him to give voice to the true meaning of his one word.

"If I win," Robin said, "I become king."

The confusion only deepened. Regina's forehead bowed and crinkled into a v. Her head lifted to better search his eyes. Her nose steered slightly to the right with its constant pull of skin. Her hands turned to grip the trunk she sat upon bracing her for the missing blow that was sure to come.

"I become king," Robin repeated.

His hands ignored his urge of chivalry. They grabbed onto her cheeks and fought to smooth away every worried wrinkle until they were non-existent. He had to fight to keep himself from kissing away her fears.

"and you once again become the reluctant queen."

Her eyes burst open once more. A new understanding took over her features. Where self-doubt and harsh fear once stood now a soft love filled every inch. Her hands moved to join his upon her cheeks. They lowered until their hands were perfectly in her lap. Then the former Evil Queen leant forward until their foreheads were touching.

"Robin-" she said.

"I will not force you into a role you did not ask for," the outlaw said, "I will not be just another in the long list to hurt you… not after Zelena. I can't be that to you. I can't force you to-"

"I'm with you," Regina replied, "Always, remember?"

Her hands left his in favor of pressing against his cheeks. He could feel his stubble work hard to press against every soft millimeter of her skin, to fill it and mark her as his. His magic too seemed eager to claim her touch. It sparked forth to feel her magic's impressive flames.

"If you choose to be king," the queen said, "I will follow you."

"And if I choose to leave the kingdom behind and appoint someone else?" He asked though they both knew that would never happen.

"Then we will have two very disappointed boys," Regina said, "though I think our little princess will probably be no worse for wear. I won't have to worry about her father spoiling her quite as much."

He laughed and allowed himself the luxury of kissing her lips. The taste of salt filled his senses. His magic turned to fire in his veins. Something like liquid lava filled until only happiness remained.

"We should really work on getting your magic under control," Regina said.

Her lips spoke otherwise. If they were under different circumstances the outlaw would have taken advantage of that. Instead he focused on the fact that he was about to battle against an evil madman intent on destroying his family no matter the cost.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Oh no," Emma said.

"What?" Robin asked.

It killed the sheriff to hear the desperation in the outlaw's voice. Her heart burst with guilt. She looked up to find herself staring at twin blue eyes wide with concern. Her eyes found David's and breath was suddenly able to fill her lungs.

"What's going on?" Robin demanded his voice slowly getting higher in volume as he spoke.

"It's Regina," Killian said, "Little John said-"

"Little John is alright?" Robin gasped, "What about the rest of my men? Are they here too? Did Rothbart bring them any harm? Odette, what about your siblings? Where are they-"

"Aye, the men fine Robin," Killian said.

His ocean gaze turned to Emma and his light smile fell. Concern began to cover his features. He turned to David in search of an answer. But it was Odette who seemed to read the blonde sheriff's mind.

"Did she have a hostage?"

Robin's bright blue eyes dulled at the question. His heart visibly fractured right before all eyes. A loud hum began to sound. Quickly a sharp crackle filled the air and the humming became louder.

The lights overhead began to flicker on and off and then on again. The crackling hum grew steadfastly louder. Odette was the first to flinch. She stepped forward and latched onto the outlaw's shoulder. That was when Emma Swan discovered the source of the strange sound.

Robin Hood's fingers were rippling with blue lightning.

"Okay," Emma said, "Easy. Robin, just calm down."

Odette sent a familiar scowl her way. Her olive nose scrunched at the bridge. Her blood red lips puckered petulantly. Her hands clung to the outlaw's and squeezed. For a moment the lightning dulled.

"That's it, Robin," Emma cooed, "Nice and calm."

The lightning spiked.

"You're not helping!" Odette growled.

Her hands shot to her father's and squeezed again. The lightning dissolved into her own olive skin and the girl never once flinched in pain. A small soft smile grabbed her lips, ensnaring them with childlike wonder and affection.

"Emma what's going on?" David asked, "What's she doing?"

"It's Robin's magic," she replied, "He's having a difficult time controlling it right now."

Emma flinched when the humming returned so she stepped forward with both hands raised high in surrender. Her mind whirled with thoughts and too many emotions. She couldn't help that her vision kept falling on the young brunette glued to the outlaw's side. The sheriff was still reeling from that particular discovery.

"Tell me what's going on!" Robin screamed.

His harsh words were exclaimed by a bright leap of lightning. From his fingertips the electric strand shot out one of the lights behind him. Odette was quick to press her fingers more securely around her father's fingertips. The humming continued but the sparks were fewer and farther between.

"Regina's not in any danger," Emma said, "But she's not there for friendly matters either."

"Then why is she there?" Robin asked, "What could she possibly want there? Everything she loves… Everything she needs is at home in her mansion."

"Not everything," David said.

All eyes turned to him worry and hope on their features. There was an odd tension in the air. The possibilities were too endless to know what was truly about to happen.

"Henry," David explained, "Regina doesn't have Henry."

Emma was a little disappointed. The weight of her missing son returned to her shoulders and she deflated under the pressure. The guilt was now gnawing away at her, devouring her whole.

"To be fair," Killian was quick to add, "she doesn't remember Roland or Cora's existence either."

"What?" Robin said.

The outlaw deflated right before their very eyes. His shoulder sagged. His arms fell limp. A crestfallen expression dawned his chiseled chin. His blue eyes dulled to black coals and he seemed drawn into the concrete floor below.

"What do you mean she doesn't remember?" Robin asked.

"It's Rothbart's curse, Papa," Odette said, "Nobody remembers anything to do with him… including me."

Her head bowed down in shame. Her right foot scuffled inwards. Her hands fell to clenched fists at her sides.

And a giant gasp filled the air.

"Papa?" Happy said, "You cheated on Regina again?"

He was smacked in the back of the head by Leroy of course. The grumpy dwarf pulled his brother to his side and growled in his ear. His face turned into a whirlwind of curling black beard and flying spit.

"He thought Zelena was his dead wife you idiot!" He said, "And Emma said we were under a Dark Curse. For all we know she is Regina's."

"But she can't be Regina's," Killian said, "the queen can't-"

"It doesn't bloody well matter whether or not she's Regina's child!" Robin screamed, "What has that blasted madman done to my wife and why are we not going after her?"

Silence soon followed the little outburst. The outlaw was left seething before them while everyone else struggled not to look him directly in the eyes. His rage and confusion only seemed to be growing with every silent moment. He cursed them all and kicked at the nearest chair without a second thought.

"Where the hell are my children? Surely you know the answer to that one then!" He said.

"That's it!" Odette cheered.

Her face lit up and those silly dimples returned. She was now the spitting image of her father. Those blue eyes were alight with mirth and happiness. Her eyes crinkled gently at the corners. She looked so young when she was happy.

All eyes fell to her eagerly. For a moment she shrank away from the attention, her right hand deftly tucking away a stray hair behind her ear. After a breath or two she stood tall and addressed them with courage and confidence.

"She's been going to the camp all along, right?" Odette said, "Maybe that's not coincidence. Maybe it's exactly what we thought Papa was doing when he escaped the hospital."

"You think the queen's searching for Robin Hood?" Killian asked, "No. She's looking for your brother… She's looking for Roland but she thinks he's Henry!"

A proud smile fell upon his lips. His ocean blue gaze sparkled with pride. The deputy practically lit up at the girl's mind. He was a kid in the candy store with no limits and no rules.

"Of course," Odette said, "Why else would she constantly go into the forest? Has she ever shown any interest in getting dirty? Mom hates messes. She's going to the woods because the curse is weakening."

Emma found Odette's smile growing contagious through the whole station. Soon there wasn't one face not showcasing teeth. Even the once bickering dwarves, who clearly had no idea who Odette was, seemed unable to contain their giddiness.

"She can't remember," Odette finished boldly, "because Rothbart knows if she has hope she will never be his. That's why he separated her memories from the rest of you. He wants her feeling alone and unloved. He wants her to believe she's the Evil Queen."

"Then I guess we must awaken the Good Queen Regina," Robin Hood replied.

He disappeared in a puff of electric blue smoke before another word could be muttered. The dwarves whistled and commented on the outlaw's new gifts but the rest of the heroes were left to question and wonder.

"He doesn't know what he's walking into," Killian said.

"Emma, he can save her," Odette said, "You know he's the only one who can."

"I know," she said, "but we have to make sure he survives the encounter long enough to give her True Love's kiss."

"And what about the thief?" David asked, "Do you expect me to let you run off with this girl who claims to be Robin Hood's daughter unprotected?"

"No," Emma said, "You're coming with the rest of us. Leroy, you and the other dwarves stay here in case Ryder returns."

"And where are we going, love?" Killian asked.

"To the Merry Men's camp," Emma replied.

The white smoke took them away even as she spoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Getting the queen back to her hospital room proved an impossible task. Even the combined forces of Henry and Snow were not enough. Frankenstein himself had to negotiate just to get the woman to take her prescription from Sneezy, via blackmail of course.

"I'm fine," Regina said.

They were walking to their destination and the woman had the gull to be in the lead. Robin had to slow his steps just to make sure she didn't collapse of overexertion. The fact that Zelena found it absolutely humorous wasn't helping. The wicked witch was the only one with the knowledge of what kind of spell would keep the queen where she needed to be. Naturally she was useless as always.

"Hey!" Zelena hissed, "I take offense to that. In case you have forgotten, my plan had me snuggled up to your little attacker in no time flat."

"By almost killing your sister," Emma said.

The savior's voice was a soft growl on the wind. She and the pirate had the wicked witch sandwiched between them like the prisoner she was. Emma had even threatened the redhead with a few fireballs not too long ago.

"Enough," Regina said, "We're almost to the camp. Zelena, you know the plan."

"Yes," the witch replied, "I disappear to the utter horror of everyone, pretending that I am on Lord Rothbart's side until your thief there wins. Then I place my pretty bracelet on his wrist and grab on while I help you, your idiot boyfriend and your precious savior to bind him to the woods. Can I go now?"

She didn't even wait for an answer. She disappeared before even Snow White could once again voice her doubt on the queen's plans. Zelena was so swift in her departure she missed Regina's wavering response; wavering because she almost passed out from standing too long.

Robin caught the stubborn woman before she could even hope to fall. Without thinking he waved his hand and a seat appeared. He was too busy placing Regina in the chair to even notice it.

Until he stepped back.

The throne, for it was a throne and a grand one at that, stood in the middle of the forest as a beacon. It was crystalline in nature with its legs of clear obsidian, blue in color with hints of amethyst in its center. The arms were platinum and stretched over the blue obsidian like an elegant vein of ivy. The top of the throne held a similar shape to that of Regina's crown. It too was platinum and fluttered like moving peacock feathers.

The back of the throne was the same blue obsidian but the hints of amethyst were different now. Instead of beating in the heart of the stone it only served to be the glue between. The obsidian formed two arrows where platinum failed to reach while the amethyst itself was in the shape of an apple, an apple cradled by those same blue arrows. A pair of platinum crowns even sat in the apple's middle shaped like a heart.

"Um," Emma said, "Did you mean to do that?"

Robin had no time to reply. The sound of laughter and a bizarre hum filled the air. The wind picked up to unbearable levels. Wisps of raven and blonde hair were blown about. The outlaw had to reach forward just to keep the brunette on her royal chair, pushing her down so she couldn't get up.

His body was the next to protect her. The outlaw flung himself between the madman and the throne. His hands sparked of their own accord. A field of lightning formed before him.

Rothbart waved his hand. The field of blue light disappeared with ease. A low chuckle emitted from evil lips. The madman's long scar turned black on the left half of his face matching his eyes perfectly. It was with ease that he tossed the others aside as if they were nothing more than insects in his way.

"Since you set the challenge," Rothbart said, "It is my right to choose the challenge."

Robin nodded his head. He remained steadfastly sealed between the madman and his queen. He would only move when the battle began.

"Name it," Robin said.

"The Test of Penelope," Rothbart replied, "The proper way of any lord of fantasia."

"No," Regina moaned.

Robin didn't like it any better. The test in question involved stringing the bow of Apollo. A bow given as a gift to Odysseus ages ago, it was rumored to have disappeared during the mourning period after Odysseus's death. Considering Hyde's evil plan to bring all untold stories to Storybrooke, it was likely the bow would be there.

"Very well," Robin said, "I accept-"

But he never got to finish, just as always Regina was a step ahead. She moved out from his protection and struggled to run to the madman ahead. The dark wizard smiled at the pathetic display she was, nearly bending to her knees and begging for his mercy.

"Please," Regina said, "don't. "

"And why not?" Rothbart asked, "The crown has given you the knowledge my queen. Why should I not proclaim my right to the throne through this usurper?"

Regina winced at hi question. Clear pain sizzled in her eyes before the crown took over. Red and black tore away from the platinum crowning, disappearing the queen in a rather odd array of smoke and glowing embers. The crown's vicious glow was so bright and so cruel that Robin was powerless to even penetrate its thick fog. Black spikes appeared wherever he wished to touch.

"Let her go!" Robin cried.

The madman simply shrugged his shoulders. Laughter bubbled out of him as the outlaw wished poison would. The dark wizard couldn't stop chuckling at the queen's dilemma.

"It is no fault of mine." Rothbart dared to say, "The crown is simply following its master's desires."

Its master's desires indeed for when the smoke cleared the queen too was changed. Gone away was her simple blue frock, exchanged in favor of something far more revealing and tight to the skin. This dress, if one could call such scraps of fabric that, nearly revealed as much as it covered. The neckline plunged low to the navel barely concealing her breasts behind two small scraps of cloth. Her skirt had a giant slit running up the middle to the very apex of her thighs. It too was mere lace on her body, filled with holes and not enough cloth.

Her bottom was thankfully covered with red. This red cloth wrapped where the black lace couldn't, hiding her decency as best as it could though it still didn't even reach mid-thigh. Her back was exposed to the wandering eyes of the madman standing before her. Only a few pieces of red lace bothered to covered the exposed skin of her belly and breasts where slit couldn't be bothered.

And that crown, once platinum and covered in shimmering silver light, now was dulled into black obsidian. It sat like iron spikes upon her head. A few rubies glinted in the sunlight penetrating the forest canopy. Her chocolate eyes were shadowed with red while her lips were smeared with black.

She looked pale with the amount of powder painted on her skin.

"Now that is the look of a true queen," Rothbart remarked.

Robin almost lost his temper right then and there. He came within seconds of punching that smug smirk right off that man's face. It was the queen's firm hand and gentle squeeze that forced his hand. He stepped away as she commanded.

"I accept your challenge," Robin said, "Even though Odysseus's blood does not run through my veins. I will gladly do anything to protect my family from you."

"No, Robin," Regina cried.

This time he was the one to silence her. A simple touch of his palms to her cheeks was all it took. His thumb shot out and soothed away her trembling lip. The noise was sudden as it flared through his mind, a scream of protest and shout of a name, a title, a-

 _Mother!_

 _A heart is ground into dust. Happiness obliterated from every cell in his body. There was nothing but a cruel, cool crisp emptiness._

 _Emptiness soon fell away into hatred. It was a burning hot thick thing that invaded all breath and thought. It fueled him as he took that girl's heart into his palm and squeezed it with everything he had._

 _Now… where were we?_

 _Fear soon took over, as it always does when hatred takes hold. Fear of that green light and that beautiful lion tattoo, the black ink was almost too perfect for words. The chiseled chin of that man ahead sent shivers down his spine._

 _You can let go of all that anger that weighs you down._

 _But that was impossible. Evil was the only way, the only course that would lead to Henry, Roland, Robin…_

 _It's not going to kill you… It's going to END you._

 _And before he can so much as comprehend what is going on a body appears. The man… no, Robin; Robin Hood stood before him with his arms stretched out wide to protect him from harm._

 _Not him… her._

 _Robin, focus!_

 _And suddenly new images appeared. There was a cavern, dark and desolate and filled with far too many terrible things. A waterfall in the middle of the woods was next. It fell elegantly into a river of giant coy._

 _The bow, Robin! Look for the bow._

 _The outlaw did as the queen demanded. He searched and searched her brain. The images were fuzzy and far too confusing. He was blue and reaching towards her in the middle of the street. The Clock Tower's yellow light was ominous in the background so it must have been night and it was freezing._

 _He was running for his life, dodging arrows and trying hard not to let his twisted ankle bother his speed. His heart hammered in his chest and his breath huffed for far too long. Lungs burned as if life had never truly lived within them. His head spun with wicked thoughts and chaotic screaming._

 _It was there. The hidden gem among the rocks arrived as promised. The belly was a perfect crescent moon. The grip glowed red then purple until only blue remained before beginning the process all over again. The rest of this gorgeous bow was encased in silver, the string sat in a loose curl at its feet._

 _The bow was in a cavern of sapphire. It sat on a moonbeam stand and beckoned to him. Robin's fingers itched just to touch it._

 _Who dares disturb my slumber? A deep voice asked._

Robin Hood blinked and he was back again, staring into wide chocolate eyes.

She looked drained. That was the outlaw's first thought as he stared at his beautiful queen. He could see the way her eyelids drooped so suddenly. Her fingers, entwined so completely in his shirt, shook. He could feel her chest struggling to move with the quick intake of breath.

 _Understand?_ She asked and never once did she move her lips.

 _Yes,_ he replied.

"I'm ready," he said aloud.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The forest was always a tricky place to appear into. One had to be aware of every limb, leaf and trunk of the trees around. The very texture of the bark could wind up dangerous when not properly envisioned and Robin Hood was a bit out of practice.

He did indeed appear in the very heart of the Storybrooke Forest and he was successful in finding the toll bridge. Unfortunately the middle of the Merry Men's camp was still quite a pace away and a few factors were missing from the outlaw's memory. This small change and this alone proved to be why Robin Hood magically appeared onto a slippery, moss-covered rock and nearly fell to his wicked death on another pointy rock. Thankfully he had enough of a glimpse of his surroundings to use magic as his aid.

He reappeared on the bridge and sighed. He was getting far too old for such near-death adventures. He was now too used to being away from the trees, in a land of cushions and constant bitter deception.

Probably it was safer amongst the trees after all.

When white smoke appeared to his right, the outlaw only had the energy to roll his eyes. A slight slew of curses fell from his lips and he once again found his temper barely contained. He watched as sparks struggled to fly from his fingertips. His blue eyes closed and he concentrated on the scents of the wood.

"God Papa, what the hell is wrong you?"

"Princesses do not put the lord's name in vain, young lady!"

The familiar moniker escaped from his lips before thought even transpired. He watched as four familiar faces each took on different characteristics. Poor David was once again frowning, a deep v on his forehead only expanding as he looked from him to the girl at his left. Killian was frozen between a laugh and a cough his shock winning over his own amusement. Poor Emma looked on the verge of yelling herself and she probably had too many words to voice for the time they had.

But Odette, his precious sweet miracle Odette, stood with her hands on her hips and a right eyebrow raised high in challenge. Her blood red lips were puckered out. Her blue eyes blazed with fire.

"I'm twenty-two now, Papa," she said.

Her statement was another heart-wrenching blow. Their years apart were too many. She had become a grown woman and he had missed every moment of it. His little girl was officially no more.

"Of course," he said, "I apologize, darling. I should have been there to see it. I've missed so much."

"You don't know the half of it," Emma said, "We were going to tell you but you smoked off."

"Regina doesn't know who you are, Robin," David said, "She doesn't know who any of us are."

"With the exception being Henry of course," Killian grinned.

The trio each gave him nervous glances but his eyes couldn't help but fall onto the girl standing at their left side. Odette had indeed grown since last he saw her. Her hair was shorter but not terribly so. It was now more near the middle of her back in a cascade of wild curls, just like her mother. Her face was clear of the acne plague. Her muscles looked harder too, more defined than they had been previously.

She looked less like the girl who wanted to live in trees and more like a queen of hard labor.

"Okay," Robin said, "What's the plan?"

"We go to the camp and bind Mom's powers," Odette shrugged, "That way she won't try to kill you before you kiss her."

The shocked outrage did not come from Robin of Loxley, King of Thieves. Instead it was David Nolan and Killian Jones who cried out in horror. They turned to the girl they clearly didn't trust and hissed. Their swords were drawn and at her neck in seconds. Odette didn't even flinch at the motion. She merely rolled her eyes and raised her right eyebrow higher.

"Seriously?" she said.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Emma asked.

Robin rolled his eyes. He silently told his daughter to take care of the swords at her neck. She in turn shrugged her shoulders again, rolled those beautiful eyes she inherited from him, and responded with another raise of her eyebrow. If it wasn't for her mother's playful smirk he would have yelled at her failure to follow orders.

Instead that was the outlaw's doom. He waved his hands and the swords appeared in his own. Quickly he returned them to their owner's, though in the safety of their homes and not on their untrustworthy persons. He leaned back upon the railing and dared cross his arms to await cooler heads.

Emma glared at him.

"What is wrong with you?" She hissed.

The outlaw couldn't help the laugh that escaped. Her scandalized face was almost too much. It was as though they were in the midst of another heated debate on the economy. She was practically foaming at the mouth with her worry.

"I don't have the time to waste on their doubt of my daughter's sincerity," Robin said, "You said my wife believes herself to be the Evil Queen. I must amend that and I don't want her killing your father or the pirate because of a little misunderstanding."

Now Emma looked confused. They were going in circles, wasting time while his men fought not to harm the Evil Queen. Perhaps they too were unaware of their history together. If Little John or Tuck so much as harmed a hair on Regina's head they would all die. He couldn't ever forgive them even if it was in self-defense.

"My men-" Robin began.

"Your wife?" Killian growled, "Good god man what do you remember? Zelena killed her ages ago. That's how she became Cora's mother-"

"What?" Odette gasped, "That's how Auntie Z… Cora is a rape baby?"

The girl's outburst stalled whatever thoughts the pirate had. Killian kept sputtering for an explanation, looking from Emma to Robin for guidance. His hook kept twirling in search of a believable answer. But David Nolan's blue eyes were narrowed.

"Your wife," he said, "You were talking about Regina when you said your wife."

Robin rolled his eyes again. Honestly he understood why Regina was constantly complaining about them. But he also remembered how often they were quick on their feet in battle. Their intelligence was marked not on the obvious but by their ability to adapt at any given moment.

He really needed to remember that right now.

"Yes," Robin said, "Do you not remember? You were standing beside me. Well you were right behind John and threatening death with your eyes."

Only blank looks came to be. David stepped forward and gave a careful glance Odette's way. He caulked his head to the side and quietly asked his question.

"What do you need us to do?"

Robin sighed in relief. His eyes once again shot to his little girl. His precious princess still stood with her hands on her hips. Her pursed lips puckered out further. Her right foot began tapping. The fire blazed hotter in her eyes.

She was not going to like this.

"Emma and Killian can come with me," Robin said, "I need you to keep Odette safe."

"I am not a child anymore," Odette naturally argued.

"Never the less," the outlaw replied, "You are my daughter and as much as I would love to flaunt you to the world your mother has no idea of your conception let alone that you are even possible. To her right now you are just a liar and the Evil Queen never took well to liars. Besides do you really think your mother would want you to see her like this?"

His daughter's head fell down in defeat. Her shoulders sagged and tears of glass dared to trace her beautiful olive skin. No, Robin couldn't have that. He quickly wiped away those infernal things and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. He found an echo of his love mirrored in her beautiful eyes.

"Uncle David will take good care of you," he said, "But I need to do this without worrying about you."

Odette bent forward until their foreheads touched, and by the gods was it painful that he missed so much. She was careful as she wrapped her hands around his own. She stopped his thumbs from wiping away her tears and even smiled when another kiss was planted to her forehead.

"Uncle David doesn't trust me right now," she whispered.

And Robin closed his eyes to hide the emotions that truth caused. He planted another kiss to her hair and forced her to look him directly in the eyes. There was nothing but trust on her beautiful features. He squeezed her hands in encouragement.

"He will," he promised, "but you have to show him your true self. Let me worry about your mother."

He winked and she laughed exactly as she had when she was but knee high. She giggled incessantly then and he always imagined his beloved Regina looking exactly like that when she was so small. This time it was the outlaw who tucked the errant stray hair behind her ear. He planted another kiss to her temple just so he could carefully whisper into her ear.

"Protect your uncle," he said, "In case I fail in returning your mother to us."

A slight nod of the head was all the answer he needed. David and Odette both disappeared with the wave her delicate right hand. Robin waited until the violet smoke fell away before addressing the rest of his audience.

"Okay," he said, "Let's go meet the Evil Queen."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"The rules are simple," the queen said, "Find the bow. String it and return within the hour. Whomever carries the bow shall be king. I will leave the victor to decide the fate of his foe."

Her chocolate eyes were very pointedly staring at him. Robin could feel her heavy gaze boring down on his retreating back. He was running through the woods for all he was worth.

An image appeared out of nowhere. A tree stood out among the others for its pine needles little white tips where leave met branch. Its bark was hollowed out, marred with a crude etching of an E + T. The image grew and grew until a fork appeared in the road. A single red leaf fell from the white birch tree separating the two sections of road. It fell in perfect alignment with the left path.

Robin lunged forward. He didn't even register the moment the choice of two paths came. Instead he noted the differing trees and chose left. His right hand found the tree not even a moment later. A moment of rest was necessary for the outlaw to continue.

The next image crashed upon him like a vicious wave. Ferns and other walks of nature plagued his head. Three mushrooms forming a ladder on a dead tree stood out. It was hidden near a bear den. A bush of red berries with a sweet aroma, they were holly berries.

Robin smiled. He ran to the area he knew of with a silent thanks to his queen. Her laughter filled his ears immediately.

The images came swiftly from then on. His destination barely even took much time to find, knowing the right path did help. The outlaw ran until the waterfall appeared. He dove straight into the wonderful coolness of the water and indulged in a moment of cool contemplation.

 _Robin, hurry!_

The urge sent his magic into overdrive. It flickered and flung until it sparked free of his hands. The magic flew to the small mountain the waterfall cascaded from. A giant explosion of sound began to call out all around.

"Who dares disturb my slumber?"

The deep voice of Regina's memories belonged to a giant lion made of rock. It stared down on him with two unimpressed white orbs. The giant maw opened to repeat its question a sense of urgency now hindering its tone.

"I am Robin Hood," the outlaw replied.

"Proceed," the lion said, "but remember, touch nothing but the bow."

It opened its maw to reveal a tongue of stone stairs. The outlaw moved down them without hesitation. His hands sparked to light his way and in reaction, the cavern erupted into its own brand of light. Robin ignored the splendid beauty of sand and jewel in favor of the talking doors between him and his prize. His patience, paired with Regina's own, wore thin too fast.

Blue fire surged forth from his hands. Both doors melted away into nothingness. A hole appeared in one while death ran from the other. The yellow sand turned into a glass pathway and the bow was in sight.

The moment his hand touched it was the very moment everything in the world fell into place. A sort of hum filled the air and the soft scent of apples floated into his nostrils. The great swell of warmth Robin often associated with Regina filled his heart.

It was all taken away the moment his right hand dared to touch that bloody string. The vision appeared in his head along with a searing pain. Something hot and sticky trailed down the right side of his face. His eyes burned with unshed tears.

The room began spinning. He was no longer trapped within the cavern of sand and jewels. He was lying in a heap on the rough green grass of the woods. Leaves cut into his knees and cheek. Breathing was almost impossible. A harsh rasping filled the air and the taste of copper flared on his tongue.

"Regina!" Snow White's voice screamed.

Prince Charming suddenly appeared. His blonde hair had red and black flakes caked into it. His shirt was torn in many places. A giant black figure appeared behind him a sword already raised to strike. Somehow Robin's hand, far daintier and darker than it should have been rose and unleashed a powerful white light. The black soldier dissolved and the prince withdrew his sword.

Three black figures turned to ash with every swish of silver. A red ball came out of nowhere. The prince deflected it without once turning his eyes away. He swooped down and quickly placed his sword gently upon the outlaw's back. A hot wind flared but no pain arrived where the sword remained.

"David tell him!" Regina's voice erupted from Robin's throat.

"The fairies were attacked by their own shadows," Charming said, "Zelena's doing everything she can but it's too late. Rothbart wants the crown!"

The prince exclaimed his point by avoiding yet another near fatal blow. This time though, his body flung on top of Robin's. David pulled the outlaw's body through the mud and the dirt until Robin felt his back slam into the harsh bark of a rather bald oak tree.

A grunt issued from his lips and Robin then knew it was Regina the prince was protecting.

A pinching began in the bottom of his gut. Robin Hood winced as the familiar tug of magic pounded into his lungs and pulled away at his skin. His head compressed into a vicious white hot pain. Air flew away from his lungs and then slammed itself back in without permission.

The lyrical music of the birds was eclipsed by the loud clanging of swords. Robin opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of a battle for the ages. It was the kind of affair that was worthy of one of Henry's stories.

Fairies were using pixie dust to disarm giant black armored soldiers. Emma and Zelena were fighting side by side. Prince Charming was defending the Evil Queen while Snow White's arrows shot to kill.

And a single black clad figure swung his sword towards Robin's torso.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Where is it?"

The mayor's voice echoed through the trees. It reverberated on the few giant boulders in all of Storybrooke. A squeal of pain quickly followed. The voices of many once merry men filled the space where nature should have called.

"Oy," the voice of the indignant Will Scarlet said, "Wha' wuz tha' for?"

"Where is it?" The mayor repeated.

"Where is wha?" Will asked, "You 'aven't exa'tly been forthcomin' on wha' we're 'spose to be lookin' for, ya-"

His voice was thoroughly cut off by the familiar groan of released air. Robin could just make out the younger man's silhouette. His figure was high in the air, well away from the ground and his arms struggled to pull at invisible hands.

Regina, for her terrible part, only laughed at his desperate attempt. She was quick to flick her wrist. All of the humble Merry Men were frozen in place. Tuck now stood still mid-run. Little John was hunched over, his giant hands barely lifting Tuck's axe off the ground. Munch was stuck mid-leap from a log.

"Don't play games with me, thief," Regina said.

For a moment Robin thought she too flinched at his favorite moniker.

"The bow," the mayor stressed, "Where is it?"

"Wha…" Will struggled for every breath, "Wha' bow?"

He was slowly beginning to go from a deep russet red to a very violent purple. Regina didn't care or at the very least didn't seem to mind. Her dangerous mind was too focused to deal with such simple things like air and murder. She only wanted one thing and she had always been too willing to do whatever it took to achieve her goals.

"The bow you stole from me, you idiot," Regina rolled her eyes at the infernal man, "It was in my vault yesterday and when I went to check last night it wasn't there. Now you being a crew of thieves conveniently located nearly on top of it can't exactly be a coincidence, can it?"

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose. It was his fault his men were in such danger. He was the one to decide the location of their camp. It was his sole choice to be as close to Regina as he could.

Unwilling separation had been the source behind his decision making. He had thought his wife had been returned from the dead, thanks to the mayor's own half-sister Zelena. With his wife's return his marriage vows were once again valid and he was forced to be parted from the woman he loved so much.

Being near her vault was the closest he could come to peace of mind at the time and their reconciliation did nothing to convince him to move the camp away. It had come in quite handy during some of their more explosive disagreements.

"Regina-" John tried.

"It's your majesty!"

The mayor stomped her foot just like a child. Her hands went to her hips and for a moment, just one tiny moment, Robin Hood feared his one true love. Sparks shot out from her sides. Her right foot began tapping away. Then the cool composure and poise of the Evil Queen appeared on her pretty face.

"Now," she said, "someone better start talking because I don't care how many of you blockheaded mongrels I have to kill to get what I want. So I'll ask again, because I'm feeling nice; where is the bow?"

His men's lips were sealed. Robin knew that long before the silence began. He watched as a variety of wide frightened eyes turned towards their chosen queen. There was acceptance in their gaze. His men, his brave and merry men, had made their choice.

"Silence," Regina mocked them in a perfect wicked purr, "Is that truly your decision?"

Silence was indeed her answer.

The mayor's blood red lips puckered into a toddler's pout. Her hands went to her hips and this time her right foot stomped into the ground hard. Chocolate eyes rolled to the back of her head before her right hand gave a meager wave.

His men fell to the ground, the force of magic no longer defying gravity. The mayor even chuckled as they stumbled to regain their footing. John barely missed the friar's axe. Tuck struggled to recapture his flying rosary. Munch was now sprawled in a compromising position.

"Because I am in a forgiving mood," Regina said, "I will allow your little display of defiance to slip through the cracks… for a price of course."

She gave them her patented cheek smile. Yet her chocolate eyes were glinting purple. They held no light, only anger and pain. She was enjoying the fear she created. She was an agent of chaos.

This was indeed the Evil Queen.

"Tell me where my son is," the queen said, "and I will forget this little deviance ever happened."

His men considered the offer. He could tell simply by the way their eyes kept darting from one person to the other. Finally it was John who stepped forward. His voice was soft as he spoke.

"Regi… your majesty," he bowed as he spoke, "Please. As much as we honor your benevolence, you must know that we have no idea where any of your children are-"

Regina's plastered smile fell away. Any semblance of control disappeared. Her right hand shot out and Little John once again found himself air-bound. He struggled hard against the invisible strings of magic crushing his windpipe. His legs kicked for purchase. The air wheezed as it fell from his lungs.

"Congratulations Little John," Regina said, "You are now my first volunteer."

She paused to make certain every merry eye was watching her.

"Watch close my dears," she said, "This is the price for disobeying your queen."

"No!" Robin screamed.

Emma went into action seconds too late. She latched onto the thief's shoulders, pressing down hard. Within a simple breath Killian was there pressing down the struggling outlaw beneath her. Together they struggled against their captive until he finally collapsed in breathless defeat.

"Please," he said, "I have to stop her."

"No Robin," Emma said, "She'll kill you."

But it was already too late. The mayor turned her attention to the very trees they hid behind. With the flick of a wrist the trees grunted and groaned. Their branches grew and reached downward. They spiraled just so until all three newcomers were ensnared in their grip. The trees brought them out of hiding and into full view of the woman attacking.

"My, my," Regina said, "What have we here? A new morsel joined the pirate and the street rat. What an honor to bestow upon me."

She flicked her wrist and the three were dropped unceremoniously to the ground. Regina didn't even look as she pushed Little John away. Her chocolate eyes were focused on Robin Hood and Robin Hood alone. She stepped forward her magic already working to choke the life right on out of him.

The outlaw had to think twice before going into action. His heart burned and damned tears threatened to invade his eyes. But he was just as stubborn as the woman before him so with a wave of his own wrist he broke free from her hold. From the very depths of his soul he recalled the summoning spell and brought forth his trusted bow.

The fletching of his arrow was pulled to his cheek when the next attack began. A red fireball appeared in the mayor's hands. Her teeth were bared a lioness on the hunt about to make the killing strike. Robin matched her demonic fire with a bit of his own.

The fireball unleashed and so did the arrow. Both met in a war of fire and lightning mixing and mingling as their warring counterparts always would. The flames and light combined into a white wisp before disappearing completely, a victim yet to be found.

"Your magic is strong, dear," Regina gave him with only a hint of reluctance.

Her ball became alit with flames once more. Her whole body turned onto the giant, burly man and the rest of his merry crew. The glint in her chocolate eyes was that of a crazed beast, a hellion bound for sinful glory. Then she twisted until their eyes met.

"But is it strong enough to save them?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The pain felt foreign as the sword slid through flesh. A cry shot out from two differing points in the wood. Vision blurred between the infernal bow falling to the ground, its string disappearing into the grass below, and Prince Charming bravely fighting away more soldiers than he should have.

Robin had to bite his tongue to concentrate. His right hand shot out a ball of blue straight into that wicked black soldier. Ash and dust filled the air where the creature once stood. The outlaw fell down to the ground and turned to examine the wound. His hand lacked any blood when staring at the gaping hole in his shirt.

One look up confirmed his angry suspicions. The queen's right side was slick with red. Her right hand shook with the added effort of supporting his pain and taking it as her own. With a few silent curses and a not so silent promise, Robin raised his hand to heal the wound. His focus was only taken away for a moment but it was enough.

Rothbart had the bow. In his haste to save Regina Robin had failed to see Rothbart take the bow right out from under him. The madman was already busily working to string the bow for all he was worth. For some reason the string gave him resistance.

"No seventh son will ever wear my crown!" Regina screamed.

Her eyes were solid black, pupils dilated so much she looked demonic in her puffing state. Hook barely had hold of her. His silver was obscured by blood and soot. He seemed to struggle to hold the tiny queen in his grasp. Regina, unaware and uncaring of her captor, stepped forward as if she was someone else entirely.

"You will never be worthy, Septimus," she said.

Septimus was an unusual name for Regina to know. That was Robin Hood's first thought when he heard the name. He wasn't concerned with her suddenly black eyes nor with the way she allowed Hook to support her after. He was simply aware that the name spoken by his love was one she should have never heard of before.

The outlaw lunged forward without worry or care. His hands were instinctive as they sparked with light. Robin didn't even pause to consider his actions for what they could mean. He just stood behind the madman who dared steal his throne. He placed his hands on both sides of his head and unleashed his pain.

Too many volts of electricity surged into Rothbart's body. The dark wizard was shocked into dropping his struggling grip on the bow. Robin didn't even take the advantage. He simply pushed the man to the side and walked forward.

The outlaw lay claim to the bow in his hand, left holding the belly while his right hand picked up the string and placed it gently in its proper place. The bow's grip turned sapphire if the outlaw had cared to notice. He simply ignored everything magical with the piece including its strange new glow. His thoughts were only filled with that of a new quiver and a hungry need for some arrows.

If Robin were paying attention he would have noticed his right hand held an arrow of perfect gold. The outlaw would have been made aware of the queen's magic surging onto their attackers. He would have seen the many black soldiers lining up twelve in a row aligned to protect their king.

But alas the outlaw did not register anything but the breath he took to fill his lungs. He paid heed to the way the string pulled back in his fingertips. He felt the fletching of his arrow caress his palm. He saw his enemy in the sight and felt the snap of his arrow's release.

Robin Hood's arrow never missed.

Rothbart's red cape became tethered to the ground. A jolt of blue light forced him to remain in his crouched position. The twelve armed soldiers dispersed into oblivion with holes in their hearts. The madman was trapped.

Robin felt a wave of power wash over him. He took the few remained steps required to put his new arrow somehow pulled, plucked and ready to fly directly in his enemy's face. A sick sense of satisfaction glowed in his heart. He could end it all and never once have to fear this man above all others ever again.

"Robin!"

Regina's voice acted as an anchor to his warring thoughts. The arrow and bow dropped their stance. His head turned away from his enemy and to the very queen his world revolved around.

She was different now. Her hair was loose and curled gently on the ends. Her face was free of paint, her eyes shadowed lightly in green. The crown upon her head was once again platinum feathers. Her dress too was green and draped over her body in a gentle caress. Gone away was the sheer lace and barely there cloth. Her dress alone brought out the light in her chocolate eyes.

"Please," she said hand outstretched.

Robin took Regina's hand. The bow fell limp to his side. He pulled his queen into a tight embrace and held on tight. An image passed between them, one of a desperate queen clutching close to a sleeping curse encased hairpin and a promise of second chances.

"Lord Rothbart of Fantasia," Robin Hood said.

He gained the attention of more than the black eyes staring straight into his soul, hate and anger swirling in the madman's eyes. The outlaw didn't bother to step forward or acknowledge him. He simply clutched tighter to Regina and allowed her apple scent to fill his lungs and heart.

"You are hereby stripped of your title and comforts," Robin said, "You are bound, Rothbart, bound to this forest and its comforts. You shall remain here until a proper tribunal can be established."

With the wave of his hand a black cuff appeared. It sat upon the madman's wrist as if it had always been there. Robin could feel the magic flare in the air.

"You no longer have any power here," Regina said.

A light pulsed from their clasped hands. The pure white light shot towards Rothbart and filtered through every inch of his body. The trees themselves were penetrated by its tight grip and affected. The grass popped up, vines came out of nowhere and branches reached down. Rothbart was struck until blood poured from his lips. Droplets of the red substance fell to the earth and fed the soil. The foliage and plant life disappeared just as suddenly as it came.

It was done.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The celebration at Granny's was in full swing. The counter was covered head to toe with silly paper banners and far too much food. Silly silver foil letters creating the word "congratulations" hung from the ceiling on any and all available surfaces. There wasn't an inch of wall left untouched by some childish drawing or another.

Everybody in town was there for the celebration. And it was a celebration for how could it not be when such memorable people like Prince Charming, Snow White and even the formerly Evil Queen were the center of it all. So it was without a doubt the best place for young Henry Mills and his partner in crime, Roland Loxley, to whisper in the archer's ear.

"Mom just went to the bathroom with Mom," Henry said, "She and Grandma have her perfectly distracted. She'll have no clue."

"No clue," Roland repeated. Then he whispered in a voice just a little louder than a mouse, "and Auntie Emma promised me cookies if I keep her and Auntie Snow's secret. They don't know I'm in on it, Papa. Just like I promised."

The little boy put his dimples on full display with the giant grin that enveloped his face. Robin was quick to weave his fingers into those bouncing curls. He ruffled Henry's hair too when the boy looked a little too left out. There were twin grins on all three faces, Robin was sure of it. Soon the whole town would be celebrating.

Snow White interrupted the threesome with a giant grin of her own. She quickly pointed towards the bathroom door and bounced a happy baby Neal on her hip. Her black dress was already covered in slime but she seemed happier than they had ever seen her.

"She's coming," she said, "Get ready."

Sure enough Regina Mills was indeed entering the diner's main hall once again. The raven haired brunette was wearing a red dress that hugged each and every curve. Upon her face was the most radiant of smiles and the cause of those smiles was none other than the laughing blonde at her side. Emma too chose to wear her own version of red for the occasion, throwing away her patented red jacket for one night of revelry. It was the first night in ages that both women got to be carefree in front of the masses, and everyone loved it.

"Operation Checkmate is a go," Henry whispered.

"Go get her, Papa," Roland cheered.

The two brothers ran off with Snow as if nothing out of the ordinary were about to happen. They gathered around the guests and quickly drew any and all attention with Roland's dimples. Emma Swan noticed the two boys, quickly seeking out their archer of a father. When blue eyes met green a smile dawned the savior's features. She was quick to make her excuses to the brunette at her hip and slipped away into the awaiting arms of her pirate.

Regina's radiant smile grew impossibly brighter when he finally caught her eye. She quickly walked to him, a sultry pep to her usually tame steps. Her hands encompassed his wrists and slowly worked their way up biceps, triceps and shoulders until her fingers found home at the base of his head.

"Hi stranger," she said.

Robin's hands naturally found home on her waist and he closed what little distance remained. They shared quite the passionate kiss before that tiny something pressed itself into his palm. A quick look away from his beautiful distraction and there was Will Scarlet slipping a small black box into his hand with a knowing wink and sassy smirk of his own.

The queen, always aware of her surroundings even when she didn't need to be, noticed the exchange. She looked to throw Will a soft smile before turning. Her left eyebrow quirked high on her forehead in question. Robin replied with a playful tilt of his own eyebrows. The pair shared a sassy smirk of promises best left for later.

"I have a question for you," Robin said.

"A question," Regina playfully replied, "What kind of a question?"

"A life changing question," Robin said.

Chocolate eyes froze for a minute before returning his cheeky, playful tone. Regina's right hand went to his cheek, palm pressing firmly into every fold before pulling down and away once more. She nodded her head and stepped back.

"Alright," she said, "Ask."

Robin considered ending it right then and there. Everybody was already giving them way too much attention. It wouldn't be long before Regina caught on that something big was happening. But the idea of her sassy smile and surprise were too big a bonus to release. So Robin ignored his fleeting moment of doubt and stuck with the plan.

"Since you once again saved Storybrooke from certain doom," he said, "and you've been an especially good girl."

"I have, have I?" Regina replied.

Her hands once again roamed up his shoulders. Her fingertips were gentle as they brushed at his scalp before looping behind his head. She minimized their space without fully invading. Their noses were still inches away but her warmth made thought very difficult.

That was probably the idea.

"Well," Robin cocked his head and shrugged earning a light slap, "You did save the day and all so I figured that warranted a rather big present."

"A present," her eyes lit up at the thought, "What kind of present?"

"Ah," Robin shook his finger, "There it is. My question for you, milady is: do you want your present now in front of all these people or would you rather wait until we were home… alone… without our sons?"

The queen's breath caught. Robin watched as her eyes darkened with lust. A slight blush began on her cheeks. Unconsciously her tongue darted out to wet her lips. A dangerous smile appeared on her features.

"Dr. Whale said I can't do that for another week because of all my extra exertion," Regina said.

Robin chuckled and shook his head. He quickly kissed her nose and watched her squirm away in fear that someone would be looking. Of course she wasn't paying attention enough to notice the many eyes fixated on them but that would come later. Right now the outlaw wanted to enjoy the moment.

"Indeed," Robin said, "and unlike you I take Dr. Whale's orders very seriously."

She scoffed at his statement. It was no secret that the notorious leader of the merry was just as keen to leave hospitals as he was to enter them. Neither he nor the queen ever lasted the whole night in the wretched place of health unless they were out cold. So the gentle roll of her eyes merely made him laugh instead of being insulted.

"Well when it comes to you I take him seriously," he explained, "and since we won't be doing that anytime soon-"

"We won't?" and she sounded so disappointed.

"Afraid not milady," Robin said, "but since that isn't in the cards I figured I would keep you in suspense only if you wished it. So, I ask again, do you want your present here in front of your family and friends who like me cannot get enough of your lovely smile… or would you rather-"

"Now!" Regina replied, "So long as you promise it is appropriate for the eyes of young innocent children who may or may not belong to us and our friends."

She was a child in a candy store. The innocent fervor upon her face made everything worth it. Her cheeks were perfectly flushed. Her skin glowed with childish wonder.

Yes, now was the perfect moment.

"As you wish," Robin replied.

He bent to one knee exactly as rehearsed. Regina gasped as she watched him take the small black box. He opened it with confidence. He watched as joyful surprise turned to worried confusion.

"There's nothing in it," his queen said.

"There isn't?" Robin asked though he couldn't help but smile full well knowing the truth, "Perhaps I should remedy that for you."

He closed the box in his right hand, held it tight and watched her chocolate orbs. With his left hand he made a swirling motion above it. The box disappeared in a plume of blue smoke. In its stead stood a lonely golden ring a single blue violet diamond in its center.

"Regina, will you marry me?" He asked.

The queen's reply came with a single tear upon her olive cheek.

"Yes," she said.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"No!"

Robin Hood rushed forward, his bow and arrow carelessly tossed aside. Regina looked at him in disgust. She raised a fireball high above her head, ready to smite him where he stood. But before she could even throw it at his head, the outlaw pulled back his sleeve revealing a tattoo, his lion tattoo.

Regina's flame died in her hand as she observed the ink spot. Her gleeful look faltered. Shock and awe were all that remained.

"You know who I am," he said, "Milady."

"It's your majesty," Regina replied but it lacked its usual cold edge.

Emma lowered her hands allowing her own magic, magic yet to be used in the chaos, to eke out into the stale air. She moved away from the Merry Men. She could see the look of confusion on her best friend's face. It was almost like watching a ghost returning back to life.

"Milady," Robin said, smiling through it all, "You told me once… that this tattoo meant we were destined for each other. That we're soulmates!"

Regina did not reply. Her brown eyes merely grew wide in fright before schooling back into the all too familiar features of the evil queen. Emma nearly groaned in agony before watching Robin grab Regina roughly by the shoulders. He pulled her close and the effect was immediate.

She was suddenly watching him in confusion. Tears sprang to chocolate eyes to the mayor's own surprise. Her hands, seemingly unaware of their owner's commands, explored every inch of the outlaw's torso before combing his chest. Her right thumb popped up rubbing the stubble on his jaw and she seemed almost exhilarated when Robin closed his eyes on reflex alone.

Emma much like the other members of this strange audience watched the scene unfold, riveted.

It was a strange ballet between the two lovers. The outlaw kept reaching out towards the woman he loved, his fingers were apparently very eager to explore every molecule of the mayor's face. And Regina was a willing prisoner she could only watch the man. Her chocolate eyes were wide with fright.

"You-" she began.

"I love you, Regina," Robin interrupted, directing all attention on him. "No matter what you've done, I will always love you."

Regina shook her head, pushing backwards. A scowl returned to her features. Her brow creased and her breath grew ragged. She shook her head again as if blinking away a stubborn haze.

"It's your majesty," she said, "Need I use my magic to-"

Robin grabbed her arms and pulled them tight against him. The queen struggled to get out of his grasp but was easily subdued by her own confusion. Emma felt her breath freeze as she recognized that spark of fear in her friend's eyes. Her family was about to be reunited.

"Please," Robin said, "Can't you see? You know who I am."

His delicate palms smoothed away every wrinkle, every frown. His thumb worked hard to vanish the wisps of confusion from her cheeks. He even dared to allow his fingertips the luxury of lingering on her blood red lips.

"We're soulmates!" He said.

Regina laughed, cold and mirthless. She easily slid from her true love's arms and latched onto his right wrist. She dug her thumb into the ink, purple smoke pulling at the mark. She even smiled when a sharp cry fell from her thief's lips.

"My mother's dead now," she said, "What could you possibly gain with this farce?"

Robin's teeth were barred as he struggled against her magic to reply.

"Tis no farce, my love. I am the man the pixie dust showed."

Regina's hand fell limply to her side. Chocolate eyes blew wide in horror. Robin's tattoo stayed on his skin. He looked relieved to be released from her magical fury. But the sadness in his eyes made Emma know exactly how he felt. She watched in awe as he dared invade the personal space of his queen yet again.

But the mayor stepped away. Her head shook and her grasped at the air for better purchase. Her whole body was visibly shaking now, not just her voice. Her heaving chest bobbed up and down as she struggled with whatever thoughts threatened her mind.

"You can't be…" Regina said.

Robin's hand gently cradled the mayor's cheek. He smiled brokenly at the fear on her features. His thumb began to soothe away the tears leaking down her chin, tears she seemed unaware of falling. Their foreheads almost touched at their close proximity.

"Let me kiss you," he said, "and remember."

"True Love's Kiss," Regina gasped.

She removed herself from his grasp yet again. Emma and the others nearly cursed in outrage, but Robin Hood was his usual self. He pulled her back to him and spread his fingers through the hair at the base of her skull. With a soft pull their lips were barely inches apart.

"I love you," Robin said.

He crashed his lips upon her own as if drinking water after months in the desert. He held nothing back and Emma waited with bated breath. She couldn't feel the familiar magic but she could see the pair's lips interlocked. Then the two broke apart.

Robin wore a look of absolute confusion.

"It didn't work," he groaned.

Regina's cheeks again glistened with tears. Her chocolate eyes were staring at her true love with something new. There was determination in that glint. Emma was suddenly very afraid that Robin Hood was about to die. She stepped forward to stop whatever war was about to begin. Only the Evil Queen had other plans.

Regina Mills curled her hand in Robin's shirt and pulled. This time she initiated the locking of their lips. Emma's jaw fell at the display of passion before a familiar warmth fluttered through the air. The buzz of magic and happiness that could only be True Love's Kiss came through.

Regina was the first to pull away but not nearly as far as before. The look of absolute confusion on her face was quickly replaced by pure joy. Her hands began to explore Robin's face, rubbing at his stubble in adoration. Tears sprang to Emma's eyes as she realized her friend had returned.

"Robin," Regina said, "You're… You saved me."

"Forgive me milady but I do believe you saved yourself," he said.

Regina laughed, one of joy and hope, before crashing her lips onto his all over again. She was pulling at his lapels and holding onto him for dear life. Tears of joy were now sparkling on her cheeks when she pulled away.

"Regina," Emma called.

"Emma!"

Regina sprang into the savior's arms joyfully. The two friends shared a hug so long overdue. Then Regina was back in her true loves arms, afraid to let him go. Her face suddenly turned worried. Her brown gaze met Robin's.

"Henry and Roland are gone," she said, "I was looking for them in the mansion. You weren't there and I just knew something horrible happened. Cora's bassinet wasn't in the nursery. It was as if she was erased completely from the house."

"What happened next?" Emma asked greedily, "What else do you remember?"

"I ran to the back door to see if you were all outside and just didn't want to wake me," Regina gulped, "Then I heard his voice…"

"A voice," Robin said, "Whose Regina?"

"I…" Regina struggled to describe whatever it was in her mind, "I don't-"

Regina's whole demeanor changed once more. Her whole body started shaking. She was begging as if to an invisible force repeatedly saying, "no… please." She pulled Robin close as tears fell freely from her eyes.

"I don't want to go," she said, "I want to stay. I want to be with Roland, Henry, Cora and you!"

Robin held the quivering mayor close. Emma stepped forward, trying to understand what was happening. She reached out to comfort her friend. Then she felt the familiar pull of dark magic.

The sheriff pulled back as if burned. Her heart began to race erratically. The mayor pulled tighter against the outlaw, still shouting and crying into his shoulder. Robin tightened his grip on her too. He bent his head low and whispered into her ear.

"It's alright love," Robin said, "I'm not letting go."

"No you don't understand," Regina said, "He doesn't want me here. He doesn't want me anywhere near you. He's going to take you away again. He's already had me kill, Robin!"

Her admission caused a stir of worried looks amongst the group. Killian struggled to pull onto the blabbering mayor. He pulled her straight out of her true love's arms and dared shake her sharply.

"Who Regina?" Killian asked, "Who did you kill? Was it Frederik and Abigail? Are you the one who framed Ryder? Tell me who!"

"I don't…" Regina stuttered, "I can't-"

Her words cut off not by others but by an action. Killian yelped in great pain. He tore his one good hand away from the queen and clenched his ears. A screamed of pure agony fell from his lips.

Regina screamed too. The agony and pain was written plainly upon her olive cheeks. Robin and his Merry Men couldn't go near her. A giant sphere of obsidian black surrounded her from their grasp. The mayor's hand shot out towards Emma, begging the sheriff to save her from what was happening.

"Emma, please!" Regina called, "I want to stay here!"

She disappeared as quickly as blinking. She vanished from her love's arms without her usual smoke. It was just a simple blink and Emma knew exactly what that meant. The magic was still burning in her hand as she stared at the thief's lost blue gaze.

"What-" he began.

But the question could not issue from his lips. He struggled to catch his breath, to control the caged rage under his skin. The sharp hum of static filled the air. Robin Hood's fingertips blazed with blue short, sharp shocks. He swallowed once more to try and get the words out.

"Wha' the bloody hell was tha?" Will Scarlet questioned, as eloquently as ever.

Emma felt her cheeks flare with heat. Her breath caught in her throat. She looked to the still howling Killian Jones for answers. The man's ocean gaze met her own, red and raw with too much of everything. His hand latched onto hers and he pulled her tight. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

"Did you hear the whispers too?" He asked.

The sheriff fell to her knees. A great cold fear enveloped her skin. Her lungs felt as though they were taking on ice. Her pulse pounded against bruised flesh. Her green eyes lifted to the group of thieves in cold acceptance.

It wasn't until she found bright blue that she truly felt afraid.

"Her master called," Emma said.

She marveled as she watched the many emotions plague the outlaw's features. She recognized the confusion and pain. She felt his anger bubbling in her own chest. Then she saw the exact moment realization dawned on his own features. He knew exactly what she meant.

Regina Mills was now the Dark One.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Regina reappeared in a dark, dingy cavern. Her master's table glimmered with the red glow of dark magic. She scowled at the man before her. Her dagger mocking her from the man's black gloved hand.

"Now that your memories have been returned," her master said, "The real scheme begins."

Storybrooke – Then

"I will destroy your happiness," Rothbart said, "If it is the last thing I do."

Rothbart's shoulders shook with mirth. He couldn't contain his laughter as he stared at the wrong end of Robin's drawn bow. He merely waved his hand and forced the diner door to open. His boots were silent as they stomped on the floor, venturing ever closer to escape.

"Hey!" Robin screamed.

Rothbart looked back in time to find the tip of the arrow heading straight for him. He disappeared in a puff of red smoke, a bright red fireball zipping towards the boys without delay. Regina barely had time to react at all.

She screamed out for help though she knew none could come. She grabbed her fiancé's sword and brandished it high. Fire met blade instead of Henry's delicate brown head. But gravity was the true enemy of the queen knocking her to the floor without delay.

The outlaw tried to stop her fall but it was already too late. They crashed into the floor and held each other tight. Hands came from all angles to pull the pair to their feet.

"Don't worry Regina," Emma said.

"We'll stop him," Henry promised.

"You always save the day," Roland explained.

But Regina knew the truth. She knew the vengeance that pierced their enemy's heart far better than anyone. Even hook's silence confirmed every thought flickering through her mind. A soft increase of pressure proved Robin knew the same as she.

"It's not that simple," she said.

And really, revenge never was.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The potion was ready. It was bubbling white smoke exactly as it was supposed to. There was nothing stopping her now.

But Regina still couldn't bring herself to drink it.

She knew it was the right thing to do. Her sacrifice would be Storybrooke's salvation. That wasn't the cause of her hesitation. For Storybrooke, for her children and family, she could do anything.

It was Robin.

He needed to know too. He needed to understand why she was doing this. He needed to see her actions for what they were, the work of a hero.

So it was with resignation that she listened to his boots pound down on her vault's stone steps. Another pair of familiar boots were quick to follow. Regina had to close her eyes to keep her emotions at bay. She turned towards the entrance, anxiously awaiting her fiancé.

Robin Hood stepped forward. His blue eyes were blazing with anger. He made it three steps before the queen's magic took hold. The entranceway behind him was blocked by a purple mass. Emma Swan and Robin Hood were no longer a united front against Regina Mills.

"Hey!" Emma yelled, "Regina you can't do this. Let me in!"

She didn't. She refused. Robin too struggled against his magical hold. Regina quickly put that to bed by waving her hand again. A black bracelet fell on her soulmate's left wrist. He looked at it and unleashed an impressive growl.

"Regina," he said, "let me go."

But the queen refused him. She shook her head and allowed herself the space needed for this kind of exchange. Stubborn tears poured from her eyes without permission and she couldn't find it in herself to stop them. So she shook her head again and stepped back once more.

Regina felt the cold stone of the podium behind her, digging into her back in mockery.

"Regina this isn't funny!" Emma shouted, "Let me in. You're making a mistake! We can defeat him. Villains always lose, you know that."

"Sometimes heroes do too," Regina replied.

Those words were enough to stop the savior dead in her tracks. The hammering of light magic stopped. The blonde's form pressed against the purple cloud obstructing her entrance but they would not budge. She was stuck and so was Robin Hood.

"Regina," Robin said, "Let us go. Now."

The queen shook her head again. A bout of terrible bravery came upon her. She stepped forward instead of away. She even allowed her tears to flow.

"Don't worry," she whispered, "You'll be free as soon as I drink it."

"Drink what?"

Robin's face went from anger to dreaded fear too fast. His skin paled. His dimples diminished. His eyes lacked their usual luster. The brave hero Robin Hood was gone. All that stood before her now was Robin of Loxley, the man before the legend.

Regina stepped back again. She turned to make certain her potion still held. It was a useless endeavor. She knew how the potion worked. Even if she were to leave it for a day, a month, a decade… it would still work the same. So no she wasn't looking to check.

She was just buying herself more time with the man she loved.

"Regina," Robin said, "Drink what?"

His voice was a boom of wavering confidence. The fear in it alone made more tears flow. The queen could feel her resolve ebbing away with every desperate gasp he made. She blinked and gasped back the many emotions threatening to stop her. Then she turned around and felt her heart shatter all over again.

"Regina-"

"You have to understand," she said, "I know how he thinks. No matter what we do… no matter how hard we fight… It won't be enough."

Her stomach curled at the very thought. Years of doing the right thing and it all added up to nothing. She was once again going to lose her happiness and it was once again her own fault. But she had to do it. She owed the people of Storybrooke so much.

"He wants you to suffer," Regina explained, "and he won't stop until he knows you're broken. That's exactly what I did to Snow… what I tried to do to Emma… It's what I've done to everyone here in Storybrooke."

"But you've changed," Robin replied, "Regina you aren't that person filled with hate. You've given yourself a second chance and we tried… believe me several generations have tried to give that man the same peace but he won't stop. You're wrong. He's nothing like you. He doesn't want forgiveness. He only wants to make everybody suffer-"

"And that's why I have to do this. To end everyone's suffering."

Regina hated this. She hated the look of defeat in her love's eyes. But it was the truth and he knew it. Rothbart wanted his enemy to suffer and he knew the only way for him, for any hero, to suffer is to hurt the very people they serve. That was the true horror of the Dark Curse.

That was why Regina used it all those years ago.

"I can't stop him from casting the curse," Regina said, "Once the spell is cast it cannot be undone. You know that."

He gave a nod of agreement but no other answer came. Robin's blue eyes were filled to the brim with anger and despair. He was desperate. Regina could feel it in her veins just how much he suffered now. She couldn't help but hate Rothbart all the more for it.

"I love you, Robin. But it's time for me to accept that I can never truly have a happy ending."

"Don't you dare," Robin growled and for a moment Regina was afraid he was breaking her spell.

"Don't you dare even suggest you are still a villain," he continued, "Villains don't do this. Villains don't make friends of their enemies. You are many things, my queen, but a villain isn't one of them."

"Then you know why I have to do this," Regina said, "because I need you to understand."

The tears came and there was no stopping it. The despair came and took over everything; every thought, every memory. It was time to accept that she would never have happiness.

"You are my happy ending, Regina," Robin said, "and we live in a world where heroes get their happy endings. We will have our happy ending, milady."

"We can't," Regina shook her head, "In order for this to work you have to suffer."

Robin's face grew paler. True horror struck his features for the first time to the queen's knowledge. The outlaw struggled harder against the invisible strings pinning him to the ground. Lightning began crackling towards the very cuff meant to stop all magic from happening.

The dizziness hit like a whirlwind. Regina had to reach behind her just to keep herself steady. The vast cascade of emotions drained away from her. Her vision kept bouncing between Robin Hood's stubborn form and her own bumbling one. That was how he was breaking the cuff's hold. He was using her magic and combining it with his own.

"I won't let you do this," Robin said.

She pelted forward with everything she had. Her lips connected with his in the most passionate display she had left. Their inward duel ended as their lips raged on and on. More tears fell when the queen's lips fell away.

"I want you to know that I'm not doing this for you," Regina said.

Robin's eyes dulled more. His thumbs pressed hard into her forearms, his brute strength working double to keep her in his arms. But she stepped away. She moved to the podium where their torture would begin. She took the lonely smoking goblet and turned around.

The queen wanted to see her soulmate until the very bitter end.

"I love you Robin," she said, "but you have to suffer. Rothbart needs you to suffer. He won't consider cursing the town if he knows you are already miserable."

"Regina," Robin's voice was without force now. It was full of desperate longing. His arms stretched towards her violently. Her spell still stayed his feet.

"Please," he begged.

"You have to understand," Regina said, "I'm doing this for Storybrooke."

She ended her statement because she had to. She punctuated it by taking a giant gulp from the frothing goblet in her hands. The last stray tears fell away from her eyes just as the potion took full effect.

"No," the man moaned.

Emma came running in. Regina rolled her eyes at the savior's entrance. She put the goblet back where it belonged and locked away her few remaining ingredients for potions. It wasn't until she turned around that she truly realized who was standing in front of her.

She rolled her eyes again.

"Ms. Swan, if you keep inviting civilians into my vault I'm going to have to ban you," the queen said.

She finished packing, certain each and every one of her beloved items were locked safely away. She turned back to stare at the man. Something in the back of her head prickled.

"Wait," Regina said, "Robin Hood! You sent a thief to my vault! This is a new low even for you, Emma."

She was scandalized. She made certain to use her blood magic on the locks. She wasn't going to let some forest smelling thief anywhere near her things. That was the last thing she needed, some thief causing yet another disaster in Storybrooke.

"Regina," Emma said, "Please tell me you know who Robin Hood is."

The queen stared at the blonde as if she was a moron. Then she remembered her parents and rolled her eyes again. But the seriousness in those green eyes gave her pause. So she gave the thief a good once over yet again, only to discover that same prickling in the back of her head.

Guilt was quick to follow.

"Right," Regina said, "You're the one whose happiness is being threatened… Well, be rest assured that the savior and I have everything under control. You will get your happy ending. I promise you."

After a long awkward pause Regina realized Emma was staring at her for a reason. Carefully she extended her hand for the shake that was customary after such a statement. The man, Robin Hood, was slow at taking the offering. He shook it but his blue eyes weren't filled with hope as expected.

They looked rather hopeless if she had anything to go by.

"I thank you, your majesty," Robin said, "but know that I intend to restore my happy ending no matter the cost."

"Yes well," Regina said, "Just don't get in my way."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Robin Hood replied.

That odd prickling began in her mind again. She shrugged it off because she was certain it was nothing. She took her hand back surprised he still held it so willingly in his grasp. He walked away, a wounded puppy with nowhere to go. It wasn't until Regina turned to her best friend that she even realized the blonde was staring.

"What?" She asked.

Emma's reply was a simple look of disbelief. Her green eyes were red with sadness. Her bottom lip trembled just a bit. Regina wasn't sure what she was supposed to do.

"What have you done?" The savior asked.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:** To prove his innocence, Ryder searches for the book. After drinking the forgetting potion, Regina finds herself obsessed with saving Storybrooke from Rothbart. Robin Hood struggles to make the queen fall in love with him all over again and Rothbart has plans of his own where Regina's concerned.


	13. Remember

Fantasia – 6 years ago…

The port of the Northern Castle was by far the best of the kingdoms. A giant sapphire lion sat like a beacon upon its hilly crest. The pristine docks held many a fleet with ease, a must for such a formidable navy.

The docks naturally led to the market square. A humble abode for the biweekly entertainment, the square was the center of any and all theatrical performances both professional and amateur. The plebeians of the kingdom especially found the yearly royal showcase a must see for all.

It stretched the whole length from dock to castle with tiny hovels and stands. Mules and chickens would be in one station while jewels and exotic herbs were sold in another. No two stands were alike but the cost of anything would be well under a pence for the less fortunate souls.

The expense increased only as one grew closer to the Northern Castle grounds, so named due in large part to its location on the northern portion of fantasia. The extravagance and elegance increased along with the price so that any and all who traveled the land could see the best fantasia had to offer.

It was customary for the vendors to assail those wandering by with enticing promises and finer products. Many royal carriages had their progress hindered by a few special salesman no matter how heinous the pitch. The constant competition of goods allowed the kingdom to maintain its riches. The royals, their own unusual sort, even worked the hard labors of the land alongside their supposed common folk.

And it was exactly these unusual royals Emma Swan came to see. Her long gown, white because of course her mother refused to allow her to pack her favorite red, fluttered lightly in the wind as her horse trotted along.

 _The vendors are out in full force today_ , the savior thought.

She smiled and waved to the many adoring visitors waving near and far. Bouquets of lilies and roses were thrown to her horse's feet. He was a mighty stallion, a gift from a family she saved just passing through that day. Emma of course tried to refuse but her mother, the beloved Snow White, explained that doing so would only wound their pride. And Blackeye was already such a beautiful big boy that she just couldn't say no.

The black beast gave a soft snort at her thoughts. His wings fluttered a bit. He, unlike her, wasn't a fan of such attention. His pace lightly quickened with each newcomer bearing gifts.

 _Calm_ , the savior sighed, _we're almost there._

Blackeye gave another hefty blow. Emma had to fight just to keep herself from rolling her eyes. The stallion glared at her anyway so she gave up all protest. She lightly stroked his right ear and calmly kissed him to the cheers of the ever building crowd.

 _Behave_ , she admonished. _Besides… the sooner we get through this crowd the sooner we get to see Regina._

No sooner had the thought left her mind than the great black beast's wings began beating again. The pegasus turned his steady trot in a full blown run. His glistening black mane soared in the wind. It made a stark contrast with Emma's own blonde locks.

The rest of the journey was finished in a matter of seconds. Emma had a new bouquet and Blackeye had his very own orchard to graze upon. The stallion was released into the stables without another care in the world. Though he did have one final order to give.

 _I expect three sugar cubes_ , he said _, one for each month apart._

The savior chuckled at the command. She gave her word and swiftly disappeared in her own white smoke. She had already made the mistake once of allowing Fantasia's royal welcome and she wouldn't do it again.

She appeared as always in her chambers. The bed was already dressed in her favorite color. The tapestries even matched and there was already a fresh array of outfits in the wardrobe. The savior made quick work of her much needed trip to the lavatory. Then she proceeded down the hall of the royal suite without hesitation.

Emma froze at the unfamiliar sound of sniffling. She turned the corner as curiosity took hold. A quick look to her right and she was stunned to discover the queen crying. The savior quickly walked into the room and slammed the door behind her. With a wave of her hands she was able to create a perfect soundproofing spell.

"What are you-" Regina began.

"What's up?" Emma asked.

She placed her hands on her hips and simply waited. The queen was not one to share easily. She was also not one to cry and since the savior was Regina's best friend by force if nothing else… Well, it was only a matter of time before she beat it out of her.

"You know me, Regina," Emma said, "I won't leave until I get an answer."

The queen simply stared at her stubbornly as always. Her wicked chocolate eyes simply bore holes into the savior's head. If it wasn't for the fact that said eyes were rimmed red, Emma would probably have dropped it. But the silence was a tool and Emma was well practiced in returning the favor.

"So either tell me now or I'm getting my mother," she said.

Regina's eyes clouded over with thought. Emma immediately panicked. The queen was actually considering the pros and cons of allowing the infamous Snow White to know what was on her mind. Emma conjured up a chair and immediately sat down.

 _This is serious_ , she thought in absolute horror.

"She's fifteen," Regina said.

The queen's voice was so small and so broken that Emma almost missed the words completely. The savior sat up a little straighter and forced her mind to work quickly. Her friend's brown eyes simply filled with more sadness and, worse, hopelessness.

"Who?" Emma asked.

Regina rolled her eyes, but that was a good sign.

"Odette," the queen explained, "She's fifteen now."

Emma nodded. She was aware of her goddaughter's birthday coming soon. In fact she was counting the days until Regina decided to kill her. The savior had plans to get the girl a puppy and she knew that was not going to end well. But the stress of being good and pure was already pushing one of their girls away Emma refused to lose the other too.

"In forty-three days she will turn sixteen," Regina continued effortlessly.

Admittedly, it did take Emma a few minutes too long to catch onto the source of the queen's worry. The feeling of guilt started to claw its way into her stomach. She pressed back against the threat of vomiting in fear. She straightened her back and calmly took a deep breath.

"And Rothbart's curse will take effect," Emma finished for her sadly.

Regina simply nodded and deflated right before the savior's eyes. Emma's hand shot out and quickly covered hers. The comfort that one move was meant to give did nothing for either. Both of their minds were drawn to the price that would soon be paid.

"I can feel it, Emma," Regina said, her voice a thin whisper in the air. "The darkness is encasing my heart and there is nothing I can do to stop it."

As if to further demonstrate the terrible price the queen had to pay, flames shot up her arms as she spoke. Emma's eyes watched as the queen seemed unaware of the lapse in her powers. She was the one to wave her hand and end the queen's wrath. Brown eyes simply found her own, a single tear sliding down an olive cheek.

"Regina," Emma began.

"They're not ready," Regina said, "I can't hurt my children but I cannot tell them the truth…"

"That we've been raising them to destroy you?" Emma asked.

Regina simply flinched at her words. Emma felt guilty immediately. She hadn't meant to ask that question so angrily. Her own feelings on the price were still something she couldn't deal with. Sixteen years was not enough time to prepare to have your best friend turn evil all over again, even for a good cause.

"Forty-three days, Emma."

The savior simply nodded and focused on the evil she was about to bring to her favorite royal couple. She almost felt guilty for the puppy. But happiness was the only option to focus on. She refused to believe that her best friend would be lost to the darkness forever. So she thought positive.

"The curse will be broken with true love," Emma said, "I'm not worried."

Brown eyes turned black as they turned to her. The harsh steal of those eyes explained just how much the queen believed her. It didn't matter if it was the truth or not. In forty-three days their entire world would go up in flames… or however Rothbart's curse decided to go into effect.

"Promise me that they will be okay, Emma," Regina said, "Promise me that my children will be the ones to escape this curse."

Emma hated the desperation in the queen's eyes. She knew she shouldn't but what other choice did she have?

"I promise," she said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The Sheriff of Nottingham was no ordinary man. He preferred the finer things with his breakfast such as a nice Cognac XO instead of the far less prestigious Hennessy. His shirts were made of the finest silk instead of that inferior cotton the Egyptians claimed were the best.

Really he was a simple man with simple tastes. He wanted breakfast at 8:30 on the dot without the dwarves' stupid side comments. He could not care less about the newest crisis in Storybrooke; there were always plenty to go around anyway. Keith, as he was known in this pointless land, was just a simple man with no interest in anything but his own business and he would be pleased if you minded your own as well.

However he was currently interested in far more important urges.

The woman, a very beautiful figure with raven hair and olive complexion, was sitting in her usual spot. Her chocolate eyes were focused on the black and white paper on the counter. Those blood red lips puckered delicately as she chewed her bright red apple. A bowl of melons sat half-eaten while an empty bowl of oatmeal stayed waiting for collection.

The queen was a fine specimen to behold. The sheriff had his chance once to capture the rare beauty. He would have been king and finally held the respect he so rightfully deserved. But that wretched Robin Hood was in the way, even without knowing it at the time.

And that was the genius of his plan. Not only would he get his revenge on that petty thief and his do-gooder act, he would become king. So with that in mind the sheriff casually slid out of his bar stool, stumbling only just a little bit.

His walk could have been straighter. His left arm was unusually heavy and the soles of his boots were a little slick. His drink kept sloshing left and right then left again. For a moment the counter of Granny's diner began to turn on its axis. It doubled into a severe blur before straightening itself out.

Keith was stunned to find himself much closer than he was before. He smiled triumphantly and dared to invite himself into the stool by her left. He turned to his right, mouth open with a swoon-worthy rhetoric on his tongue.

"Not interested," the queen said.

The sheriff's mouth closed. He took a moment to regroup his thoughts. A quick swirl of his liquid courage gave him strength to find his way back to equal footing.

"Didn't you hear me?" The queen asked and somehow she didn't even bother to look up, "I said leave."

"Actually your instructions were that you were not interested, your majesty."

That voice sent Keith's nerves on fire. The snarl came to form on his lips without invitation. He turned his steely grey eyes toward his greatest nemesis. Robin Hood dared to stand to the queen's right, his sleeves rolled up and a cocky smirk on his face.

"But I too have found the sheriff easily confused to the blatant rejection of the fare maidens of this land," his enemy said.

Then the thief, the conceited soul that he was, gently splayed out his silly lion tattoo as he put his glass on the counter. The queen merely waved off his presence the sheriff was pleased to note. He silently watched the queen barely even glance at the tattoo before turning her full attention to the man who dared show interest in her.

"Believe it or not," the queen said, "I am not interested in anyone who liquids their breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have two young children at home."

The sheriff was going to give her a polite comment, explain the situation to her because she clearly didn't understand. But the queen turned her gorgeous bulbous breasts away from his view and instead deigned to give the pretentious thief her presence.

"And I am no damsel in distress in need of rescuing fare maiden as I may be," the queen replied.

Despite all logical reasoning, the thief dared have a sparkle in his eye. That smarmy smirk played on his lips. That bastard even dared to chuckle as he drank from his glass of whiskey.

"A simple thank you would suffice," Robin Hood replied.

"Thank you?" the queen gasped.

"Excuse me," the sheriff said, "I'm not usually one to interrupt but I must point out that you were interrupting the beginnings of quite a lovely conversation if I do say so myself. You see, her majesty was just about to agree to a lovely stroll over to Belle Notte for a lovely bowl of spaghetti and a glass of their finest wine."

He grinned up at the man he hated above all others. His left eye winked towards the object of their apparently mutual affection. Then he pulled his own cup to his lips and took a hearty gulp of his own brew.

"Apparently I missed the part where I agreed to this," the queen said.

Nottingham smiled into his glass, his grey eyes once again darting towards the thief. That smug smirk was back on his face for some infallible reason. It was only as the sheriff took a heaping gulp of his brandy that he realized why.

His brandy was no more. It was now a bubbling crude brew that smelled of sulfur and something acidic. He dropped it to the ground in surprise. The glass shattered on contact but the crude did not follow. Instead it merely soared through the air until it planted itself firmly on the sheriff's chest.

Keith hastily worked to be rid of the thing. The black crude bubbled and froth into some bizarre animal with tarlike teeth. It was reaching for his mouth with dangerous procession. Its greedy black fingers stretched forward, aiming towards the very tongue he just got back.

"Regina," the thief said.

The sheriff watched the black bubbling mass turn into a puff of dust just as it reached his chin. It fell away and it took most of Keith's attention with it. He looked up to find Robin Hood's hand cradling the queen's elbow, staring into her eyes in deep intensity. It was then Keith realized Regina was the queen's name.

"It's Mayor Mills to you," the queen said.

She disappeared before the sheriff even had a chance to correct her.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Ryder Wood knew what he was doing. The first window on the right still had the same defect even after so many years under curse after curse after curse. All he had to do was jimmy it just the right way and it caved. He was in before the window even knew something happened.

Disabling the security system was almost child's play. The code hadn't been changed since a tiny blue bundle entered and the thief's fingers knew the code better than his mind. He turned around prepared for the fight of his life.

Instead he found himself calmly sitting on a bed still unmade from its last occupant. For the room of a supposed teenager it was unusually tidy. The dresser still had the next day's clothes picked out and ready to go. Dust only lay on the few textbooks that had no need to be used. The closet was burst open by the waterfall of clothes plunging from the laundry basket's plastic depths.

It looked as though its proper resident still resided there. Not a thing was left out of place. The cheeriness still penetrated the room. A warm honey color shined through the window and painted a serene appearance of peace. Life had yet to dissolve from this one area of home.

The thief ignored the now too familiar pang in his chest. The harsh burning of his eyelids fell away to the background. With a deep breath he stepped forward to the hall.

His head swiveled left then right and back again. He took in every single detail of the hallway before him. No movement caught his attention, no raven haired siren compelled him into action. As much as Henry's room was inviting the true target was right next door.

So the thief crept to the Mayor's room with only a hint of trepidation. He silently clicked open the handle and ran in without a sound. His ears were pricked to take in any breath or tap of a heel. Instead they were met with silence, a swallowing deep silence that stretched and stretched through the air.

Regina's room was the complete opposite of Henry's. Where her eldest son's held warmth and laughter, only coldness pierced the monochromatic scheme. The laughter had died out. There were no smiling faces plastered to the white walls. The heaviness of living alone clung to the air and furniture.

Dust sprinkled the tops of every dresser. The bed held a layer of filth and grime. The floor turned purple due to lack of vacuuming. A strange odor permeated the thin air, a thick smell of mold and something best described as old.

Yet the smell stopped where white still lay visible upon the carpet. The white doors of the closet were still firmly closed shut, but a half-circle where purple met white showed something was still in use. The thief grinned childishly.

His hands pulled apart the doors and the smell of apples and cinnamon flared through his nostrils. He was suddenly transported back in time. The familiar laughter floated into his ears as memory after memory of silly faces was made. The laughter died but the memories remained. For a moment Ryder Wood was a carefree boy again.

The thief was quick in his searching. The mayor was still as organized as ever. He remembered exactly where each and every item belonged, what was missing and what was clearly placed in the wrong place. Someone else had been through this very closet and that made Ryder's heart sink.

 _Rothbart's going to pay for this_ , he thought. _He's going to pay for everything he's done to my family._

The item of his desire was not here. It wasn't tucked somewhere underneath the frumpy t-shirts in the top drawer. It wasn't packed underneath the mayor's undergarments nor any one of her other drawers. He knew it wouldn't be behind any of her dresses, monochromatic scale and all, but he checked anyway to no avail.

 _Dammit,_ he silently swore to the gods above and below, _where is it?_

He stopped being delicate when even the mayor's pants held no key to his one penultimate desire. He climbed to the top shelves and dove head first into box after box after box. Baby clothes and photo albums were strewn carelessly on the floor. Blankets and winter coats fell into boundless heaps wherever failure reigned.

 _It's not here!_

His mind practically shouted at him. He had to fight just to remember to keep his temper down. The thief didn't come all the way to Storybrooke just to fail now. This was his family. He had to be better if he ever wanted to see them again.

He returned to the bottom drawer because he had to. He remembered the story perfectly. He'd already been all over Mary-Margaret's apartment. It wasn't there like it had been the last two times. But she was the one who found it both times and she wasn't exactly here now. Maybe that was the problem.

 _No,_ Ryder thought, _No she's not the problem. I'm the problem. It has to be more than her. What am I missing?_

So he pondered the story under better scrutiny. He concentrated on every little detail. Mary-Margaret Blanchard was cleaning out her closet as she had every single week of the curse. The curse itself revealed the book to her because she was the gateway to the believer's hope. That was the first curse.

The second curse she cast to take them to Emma and light magic to defeat the Wicked Witch. Emma, David, Mary-Margaret and the mayor herself were all searching for it. Emma even looked through the same chest but it was Mary-Margaret Blanchard who found it once again. But why?

 _Even believing in the possibility of hope can be a very powerful thing._

Her voice filled his thoughts like never before. A sudden pang of longing filled his chance, helped none by the constant smell of apples. Nostalgia mixed poorly with his sense of hopelessness. Something hot and prickly burned at the back of his eyeballs. He closed his eyes for a moment and struggled to keep his composure.

It wouldn't do to be caught in middle of the mayor's bedroom, tearing apart her closet.

He just wanted to go home. He wanted Arion, his beautiful golden horse his mother gave him on his eighteenth birthday. He wanted to go back to his parents' smiling faces and never again see them frowning in concern.

He just wanted to go back.

A sudden flare of hope filled him from somewhere deep within his heart. The thief's eyes popped open and he suddenly knew. His hands were gentle as they reached into that bothersome bottom drawer. The book was there.

"What are you doing in my home?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"It's been a week, Robin."

The grating voice of Snow White filtered down the hall. Nottingham had to bite his tongue to keep from rolling his eyes. He smoothed away what was left of the stain on his ruined shirt. The old windbag who owned the place didn't even offer him club soda to remove the filth from his shirt. She simply rolled her eyes and told him he deserved it, as if. If not for the blasted thief he and the queen would be kissing in the back alley now.

And his desires would not go unfilled for much longer.

"It's not exactly like I haven't been trying." The thief spoke, "I had to be cursed to a new land before I could even get her to agree to a courtship with me."

"After she saw your tattoo," a new voice pointed out.

Keith had to squint and fumble around in the recesses of his mind before he could even begin to understand why the voice was familiar. It was the voice of the sheriff, the other sheriff, the one who broke the curse and tore the whole world apart. Emma Swan was her name and she was utterly useless and just as whiney as her mother.

"I tried that already," the thief said, "the damned woman must have erased her memories of Tinkerbelle too. I'm trying to do everything I can but Regina isn't a woman who can be pushed."

"Well what did you do in the Enchanted Forest to make her like you so much?" Snow White asked, "Maybe we can do that!"

"We argued for hours straight and I always left with the feeling that I'd be headless if not for being Roland's father," the thief replied.

His voice sounded defeated. Keith was so unused to hearing such wonderful sounds he had to step forward. He could see him now, the thief and the two women he was in deep conversation with. He was wearing a ghastly green jacket pleather of course. The thief couldn't afford anything better and he didn't know taste or refinement if it slapped him upside the head.

His trousers were brown of course, meant to blend in with the dirt. His silly bow was nowhere to be found and that was unusual if only because in the Enchanted Forest he never wanted to be parted from it. Beside him was a petite woman; thin, pale and frail looking. Her raven hair was torn away into a short bob that made her look as though she were an awkward teen instead of a full grown woman. She hid away her breasts and hips with frumpy hues of pink sweaters and polyester fibers.

The blonde on the other hand knew how to fill a jacket. Upon her shoulders was the annoying red leather she held a certain penchant for. Her splendid hips were squeezed in tight by jeans painted onto her voluptuous legs. If not for the boots, the silly ponytail and the lack of paint upon her face she'd be quite attractive.

Nottingham took in each and every inch of the threesome standing in the middle of Granny's, bickering like the common folk despite the two women being princesses. Hell, the raven haired lithe figure was supposedly a queen now, if not for the obviously lonely dowager queen they were so discussing.

"Robin, Henry's worried," Emma said, "He refuses to leave her side now. I had to fight with him just to get him on the bus and that only worked when Regina gave him the look. You need to fix this. You're the only one who can."

"I don't know what to do," the thief said, "I've tried almost everything. I've given her space and tried to get to know her but she won't even give me the time of bloody day. How am I supposed to work with that?"

"Well you better hurry," Snow said, "In the past week Regina has thrown herself in the middle of a dwarf fight, almost swallowed by a giant, thrown herself in and out of vortexes on two separate occasions-"

"Not to mention that little debacle of Lily and Maleficent's dragon lessons," Emma added.

"She's getting more reckless!" Snow said, "There has to be something we can do."

"I'm trying everything I bloody well can," Hood groaned like the baby he was, "I have Roland, Cora and the Merry Men breathing down my necks every day. Her sister is keeping us informed but there is only so much I can do. What else is there?"

Nottingham smiled at that. He could barely contain his little chuckle. The queen was all alone and in dire need of a handsome shoulder to cry on. Well, the humble dashing sheriff of Nottingham knew exactly how to fix that.

He took another swig of his lovely brew for a moment of courage.

The liquor barely fell past his lips before he was engulfed by sharp blood red smoke. When he reappeared it was in the forest, ugh. His freshly polished boots were now caked in mud and he hadn't yet taken a step. Even the air felt dirtier.

"The Sheriff of Nottingham," a deep voice said.

A deep seated dread filled the sheriff to the brim. His heart contracted into a thin line. Sweat broke out over every inch of his body. His hands shook and his tongue curled into a tight little ball.

"Rumpelstiltskin," the drunkard said.

"Yes," the Dark One replied.

Rumpelstiltskin's smooth lips pulled into a smarmy smirk. His hand plunged into the depths of the former sheriff's chest and out again with magical ease. Keith wanted to scream but the imp's grip tightened over his surprisingly black heart. It was fire that chewed away at his soul.

"You'll do quite nicely I think," the Dark One said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Ryder's heart leapt at the sound of that voice. Already it was so different from the last time he heard it. There was an undertone of warmth fighting against the cold cruel tone. Desperation no longer fueled the mayor's every desire. He turned around and prayed he was right.

There was light in those chocolate eyes. Her olive cheeks had a nice warm glow. The dark circles under her eyes were gone completely. Even the downward tilt of her lips was no more.

Only her outfit seemed affected by the change of time. Her once sleek black blazer was now torn upon its right shoulder's seam. Scratches of mud, dirt and leaves decorated every inch of her pants. Blood marks mixed with the threadbare remains of her silver blouse. Her hair still retained its glossy shine but all remaining appearance of the mayor was gone.

This was Regina Mills the mother, desperate to find her son.

"That's Henry's book!"

The woman went from soft to violent in a simple whispered breath. Her perfectly manicured fingers, now covered with dirt despite their lack of cracks and paint chips, bent to form her patented weapon of choice. Ryder Wood's mind whirled at the prospect of being hit with an impressive fireball.

"Your majesty please," he said.

Regina's expression changed on him again. The fire of anger was gone. A doey-eyed look of innocence found home upon her features. Something wet momentarily appeared in those simple chocolate eyes. She stepped forward, her movements unsure.

"You," her voice was like a sharp knife, "You're the thief who stole Roland's monkey."

Her head tilted to the side in curiosity. Her chocolate eyes took in every inch of the thief's stature. It was silent appraisal that assailed her features. With every tucking of her bottom lip under her teeth, Ryder knew his secret was almost finally out.

"I know you," the mayor declared, "How?"

Her head went straight again. Her body snapped into a single powerful line. Her chin rose high. But Ryder noticed the way her fingers kept reaching towards him and stopping in the air.

"Hello, your majesty," Ryder said.

He gave an impressive bow as well. He tucked the book to his chest and corrected his footing. He stooped low as he was prone to practice as a child. His own brown eyes never once separated from the mayor's as he remained in his lower position.

A light rose-colored blush decorated round olive cheeks. Her chocolate eyes seemed mesmerized by him. She followed his every move with her steady gaze. The vague haze of familiarity floated in those beautiful orbs and it was breathtakingly heartwarming.

"Who are you?" She asked.

Ryder wanted to answer. He'd never wanted anything more than to tell the woman who he was. But other far darker players were on the field, already combing the play with their own chaos and horror. He couldn't take the chance. Despite how much he wanted to, he couldn't trust the mayor just yet.

So a hint would have to do.

"I am nothing more than a humble servant of her majesty the queen," Ryder said, "All Hail the Good Queen Regina."

His brown eyes observed the way chocolate depths grew. There was an odd squirm of glee flaring in the center of his chest. The rose of her cheeks flushed a little bit more. Her right foot fell to its heel. Her hands fluttered upward before being pushed right back down. Belief had returned to the mayor of Storybrooke.

It was taken away a moment later. A raging fire flared through her chocolate gaze. Her hands sparked with red-orange flame. A purple aura began to encircle her from every angle.

"You have no right," Regina said, "Now give me that book and get out of my house before I unleash my power on you."

She looked serious. Her stance suggested a predator on the prowl. Ryder could almost imagine the woman before him making quite the formidable impression on an unsuspecting fool. She was a wonder to behold when her temper flared and she allowed her magic to show.

But the thief had no sense of fear when he watched the mayor raise her hands to make a pair of dazzling fireballs. His chin firmly untucked from his chest. The book fell to his side for a better running pose. His brown eyes gazed into chocolate purple depths and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry your majesty," he said.

His right hand shot out, throwing clothing and hangers the mayor's way. She ducked out of the way instead of bursting her clothes into flames. Honestly it said more about her than the thief could have ever spoken. While she was busy running to her right, Ryder was exiting the door to her left.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Leave me alone, thief!"

"Regina, wait!"

Regina rolled her eyes. Clearly this man wasn't getting the hint. Geeze how come Swan got all the credit for the heroics and she was left with the googly eyed morons?

"It's your majesty!" She yelled back.

 _Not that you could be bothered_ , she thought.

"You stubborn… this is ridiculous," the thief said.

Regina rolled her eyes again. Gods, this was nearing on the fifteenth time since that stupid thief showed up. Emma owed her big time for this crap. And why the hell couldn't the great Sheriff Swan: Savior of Storybrooke perform a simple little tracking spell anyway?

"Hello Regina."

"For the last time it's… Sidney?"

The queen stopped walking and stared. Her jaw fell slack as she stared at the man standing before her. Her mind kept searching for something, anything to explain this odd phenomena happening right in front of her.

He was wearing a very rich looking three piece suit. It was a gorgeous crème color. The honeysuckle of his button down silk shirt was a wonderful compliment. The purple pork tie hat and matching tie was a bit much though. And those shoes, purple shoes and a pocket square, that was just pushing it to the extreme.

"Regina, get away from him!"

"Oh for god's sake," Regina rolled her eyes for the sixteenth time now. "What part of go away can't you understand?"

The thief, naturally, ignored her. He placed himself between her and the magicless genie. Now she was narrowing twenty times of rolling her eyes. If she didn't have a headache after this it would be a miracle.

"Leave her alone," the thief said, "Your fight is with me-"

"Actually she made this about her the moment she drank that potion," Sydney said, "I am just here to deliver the message."

"What message?"

Of course the potion being discussed probably should have been her first concern. Their conversation was odd and frankly she didn't have to stay and listen. But curiosity had always been her greatest sin and now was no different. She stepped forward easily.

"Still the formidable queen as always," Sidney said, "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."

His hand reached forward then. Regina almost succeeded in rolling her eyes again. But a sharp hot searing fire embroiled her chest and refused to let go. Greedy chubby digits dared cling to her heart and grip oh so tightly. For a moment black took over the queen's vision then suddenly there was nothing but blue.

A lightning bolt, gorgeous electric blue plunged full blast into the former genie's chest. He stumbled back stunned. For the first time in a long while Regina saw true fear shining in his deep russet eyes.

"Get away from her!"

The voice belonged to that stupid thief. He was panting as if it was his heart the damned genie held in his grasp. His hands were sparking with uncontained blue light. If the queen stretched her hand just right, she would feel the sting of electricity on her skin. For a moment she felt her heart skip a beat at the thought.

"My master has only this to say," Sidney said, "Stay away."

He was gone, an odd black smoke surrounding his retreat, without further explanation. It was just the queen and the thief left standing in the middle of the woods. One stared off at the trees as if they had personally offended him, and she was left pondering her former mirror's parting words.

"What was that about?" Regina asked.

The thief, as irritatingly annoying and intrusive as before, simply ignored her. He took two steps closer to where the genie had disappeared. He bent low to his knees and stared at the dirt as if it would tell him all its secrets. As if it even had any secrets.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Regina pressed.

Robin Hood said nothing.

"He has magic," Regina said, "He's not supposed to. He lost his magic the moment he escaped his curse as my magic mirror. He shouldn't have been able to reach into my chest let alone get so close to my heart. You clearly know why and I would like an explanation."

Yet the blasted thief gave her no words of explanation nor wisdom. He simply continued to study the very grains of the earth as if nothing else in the world could ever be of importance. His fingers even dug in deep for further study apparently.

 _Typical,_ Regina thought.

The silence stretched on at a rather unbearable pace. Regina would have just left but stubbornness and pride were always her major downfall. She remained standing purely to intimidate the man with her gaze. He made no move or sign that he was even aware of her, but he was. Somehow she just knew he was very aware of her.

As the lack of words continued so too did the queen's gaze. Her chocolate eyes were forced to wander and take in every inch of her unwelcome companion. His choice of clothing was appalling. A green leather jacket and a hoodie, unnecessary even in Storybrooke's dreary climate. His blue jeans and hiking boots at least made sense. He was an outdoorsman by reputation and a thief by trade. He would need clothes that were light and able to stand long bouts of movement.

Her eyes naturally returned to the leather jacket and its silly grey hoodie. Her gaze wandered over his silhouette and took in the fantastic broadness of his shoulders. Those shoulders looked broad enough to carry her for miles.

The thief turned his head and suddenly Regina could see the muscles pulling in his bulging neck. A vision flittered through her mind. She could see a particular pulse point in the forefront of her mind and hear a low rumble in her ear, a puff of breath hitch in excitement as her tongue lightly flicked against it.

A great warmth filled her cheeks. The queen gasped in surprise of her own mind's tricks. Suddenly she was aware of just how close she was standing to the thief. The sweet scent of forest, moss and pine assailed her nose. Unintentionally she found herself taking a big whiff of the smell before getting ahold of herself.

She shook her head and took control of her senses. It was then that she noticed it. There was a light sniffle in the air. A quick peek ahead and sure enough there was a single tear caressing the thief's chiseled, dimpled cheek.

She didn't stop to think. Her right hand reached out without permission. Her fingers wiped away the silly tear and she was suddenly sitting before him. His eyes were the brightest blue she had ever seen.

 _Have you ever met someone that you would change your entire world for? Someone whose eyes you were just born to gaze into._

Her breath stilled as she found herself glued to those beautiful blue eyes. Two more tears fell away from that glistening gaze and her damn fingers stretched out to wipe them away too. She couldn't bear the thought of those beautiful blue eyes filled with rains of sadness.

"It's your wife," Regina suddenly blurted, "Isn't it? The one whose baby Zelena tried to take?"

Whatever light was in those blue eyes of his was quickly snuffed out. His face went cold and rigid in her palm. He pulled away from her touch and Regina found herself stung by his missing warmth.

He was brushing away the dirt from his pants. The queen observed the way his hands lingered on his thighs a bit too long. Something like anger bubbled up in her chest. He was avoiding her questions on purpose and it irked her that she knew it and that he knew she knew it.

"My apologies milady," the thief said, "this is one mission I must complete on my own."

Despite the anger brewing in her heart, Regina found herself reaching towards him once more. Her hand landed on his shoulder. Her traitorous fingers gave his apparently very bulbous muscles a hardy squeeze. A sudden thrill coursed through her as she felt the thief's eyes watch her every move.

"Wait, I can-"

He disappeared like the stealthy thief he was. Evil, wicked, disdainful blue smoke engulfed him whole. Regina was left alone with a scowl on her lips and the scent of pine lingering in her lungs.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

It was odd the things one remembered when being chased by a dangerous sorceress. For example, Ryder was under the distinct impression that the white walls of the upstairs hallways weren't supposed to be nearly as bare. There were two pictures hanging on the wall, only two. Henry and his grinning face was proudly displayed with a giant birthday cake in front of him.

He was small in that picture, no older than five maybe even four years of age. The next image was also of him. He was riding a bike while waving to the person behind the camera, Mayor Mills herself one would be safe to assume. His hair was an unruly mess in the wind in need of a haircut and a mighty find comb. His body was turned away from the traveling dwarf on the sidewalk. Leroy was surrounded by boxes as his short legs scrambled for the safety of the green grass beside him.

Then there was nothing but white, not even a trace of dusting rings to showcase the mixing pictures in the hall. Cora's wailing face and Roland's laughing dimples had simply disappeared. Robin Hood and Mayor Mills dancing in the middle of Granny's Diner were gone for good. Even the banister was empty of the changing time.

Dust fluffed into the air as Ryder used the railing to hit the floor faster. The book nearly spun away from him on the hard hardwood landing. A fireball came pelting towards his head just as control was gained. The thief bent over backwards and slid across the slick wooden floor. He was almost to the door when disaster finally caught up.

A purple haze was his first and only warning. The figure appeared before him fully clothed in Enchanted Forest apparel. Chocolate eyes took on a purple hue. Olive cheeks were hidden behind white powder. Long raven hair was scooped in an elaborate up-do to the left side of her head.

The crown that sat on her head was black and surrounded with thorns. A red dust shadowed her eyes. Black lace stuck tight to olive skin. The coat began where knuckle met middle finger. It casually draped itself up two slender shoulders and delicately skimmed the floor. A bright red corset dipped into a slight v at the pelvis where black leather pants died in the depths of black heeled boots.

The mayor's blood red lips rose into a sharp, cunning smirk. She raised her hand palm up in invitation. Ryder noticed her blood red nail polish simply because her left hand went to her hip stubbornly.

"Give me the book, thief," she said.

Her breath paused at the title issuing from her lips. The purple halted in her irises. Her puckered lips separated for a scarce moment. Her whole body fell rigid with uncertainty.

The breath returned to the lungs a moment later.

"Now," she finished coolly.

Ryder Wood had many options in that moment. He could hand his glorious prize over to the mayor, rely on the goodness still hidden underneath for his survival. Or, he could defy her outright and risk angering her further. Still there was a small voice, a tiny voice he'd almost forgotten completely since his days so long ago as a child, a voice that whispered and dared to dream of hope and promise. So the thief, an impulsive sort as he was, decided on the least likely outcome.

He took a chance.

"I need this," he said, "to bring back Emma Swan's memories."

Doubt crept to the forefront of his mind as he observed the mayor's stoic emotions shift once more. A scowl donned her once perfect face. Purple flared high in her dark eyes. A sharp hiss issued from her blood red lips like the whistle from a tea kettle.

"Why would you need to do that?" She said.

Ryder opened his mouth to answer. The witty retort was on the tip of his tongue tugging to get out. But the book's hard cover began to burn and it took the thief too long to realize the trick.

The pages fluttered as they were forced through the air. The mayor's awaiting hand opened wide in welcome. Her red tipped fingers were delicate as they clasped over the hard cover of "Once Upon a Time". She brought it close to her chest and gazed upon it as if the book were her loving child.

"Emma doesn't need to remember," she said.

A hint of confusion hit her painted face. Something sharp and deadly took over her eyebrows. Her breathing came in short, sharp, spurts and she couldn't look away. Her fingers shook as she held the book tightly in her grasp. It was a moment too late before Ryder understood.

Flashes of memories flared through his own eyes. Moments with the father he had always known, prancing about the woods full of mischief and mayhem. His dear brother eagerly traded a gleaming sword for a fine point pen. His sisters couldn't stop fighting each other until it was time to take the horses out for dressage, jumping or whatever silly game they deigned to play for the day.

Then there was always his mother's happy face as she slaved away in the kitchens to bake.

"Your majesty please!" He screamed.

The queen's purple eyes filled with a new flame of hate.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"You talked to Robin Hood!"

Zelena's grating voice was nearly enough to make her rethink everything. Regina was on the verge of a migraine already and her sister wasn't helping. The constant chatter of the Rabbit Hole should have been enough to drown out the exclamation completely, but the queen still looked to be sure.

Thankfully no one important heard. Just a couple of men, a burly beast of a man with wild black hair and buggy eyes and his tiny slim toothpick of a companion, they saw but ignored them in favor of their large tanks of lager. Nobody else in the establishment cared. There was no one who would go blabbing to Snow.

"Keep your voice down," Regina hissed, "This is still a public place and we have a plan. One that you're about to screw over amazingly."

Her sister merely glared at her. She pointed towards her wrist and the black cuff still sealed there. It was a voluntary measure they both knew. It was designed as a proof of trust on the redhead's part. She wanted to be the big sister she was never allowed to be.

And this was how she would prove it.

"It's not your neck that will be strung up if Sheriff Swan finds out," Zelena grumbled, "I'm the one taking all the risk here. What if something happens? He isn't violent is he? Robin always hated him. Couldn't stop bitching about one past wrong or another."

It irked her. Regina hated it when her sister even dared mention the thief in question. And she wasn't the only one either. Henry, Snow and the whole Charming clan had to put in their two cents about the thief she met in the woods.

 _"Oh don't worry about Sidney," Emma had said, "You just focus on that ogre running about. The last thing we need is that ogre running over the town line and into the Land Without Magic. Who knows what kind of damage he'd do!"_

But was she focusing on the ogre too, no. The perfect savior was too busy snogging her boyfriend and trusting petty criminals with disarming dimples and bright blue eyes. If the man wasn't little Cora's father, Regina was certain she'd kill him just to get rid of the threat.

Yet she was no longer the Evil Queen. Now she was simply the mayor of Storybrooke. She had to protect her family and this was how she would do it.

"Make yourself useful," Regina said, "Get me another drink and don't show up until he's gone."

Her sister gave her a rather rude look but did as told. She slinked away to fetch the drink as requested. Then the wicked witch ventured over to that table with the burly man and his skinny companion. The three were having a heated discussion when the real prize walked in.

It was like clockwork with him. His disgusting voice graced the air with his presence and he didn't even have the gall to be sober while doing it. The Sheriff of Nottingham, Keith O'Hare being his cursed counterpart, waltzed in just as loud and obnoxious as ever.

"Hello lovely," he said, "Fetch me a drink."

He slapped the young girl on her rear and swiftly moved to the bar. Regina had to bite down hard on her tongue to keep herself in check. Her knuckles turned white from their tight brace on the bar before her. A matter of seconds later and Nottingham's gaze fell to her.

If her skin wasn't crawling before it certainly was now.

"Well hello, your majesty."

Regina had to fight hard not to retaliate. His eyes were perfectly glued to her chest and he didn't even take a breath to stop staring. If she didn't need the smug bastard so much…

"What brings you to the Rabbit Hole?" Nottingham asked.

Ugh even his breath smelled of stale beer and liquor, a horrid combination if ever there was one. The queen couldn't help but swat away at the air a bit. Instead of clearing things up for her nostrils, the effect only seemed to grow the musty scent. And that was when she noticed Nottingham's eyes had moved from her best to her lips.

"Robin Hood," the queen said.

"Of course," Nottingham spat, "What do you want with him? I can assure you I'm more fit for whatever you require."

"You were the sheriff of whom he was a particular thorn in the side," she said, "I merely want information."

Nottingham's hand shook for a bit. It was a struggle to bring that large tankard to his lips but still he found a drink. He pulled back the large lager as if was nothing but a game to him. With a steady hiccup and a firm belch he turned that stale breath back onto the queen with a sleazy grin.

"You won't do yourself any favors with the likes of him," he said, "He's nothing but a lowlife who believes himself above the law. He may have the rest of your hero friends fooled, but know this your majesty. He's planning something dark just like the rest of the riffraff in this town."

"A whiskey for the lady," he ordered.

Regina silently bristled. She'd forgotten, impossible though it may seem, how certain men behaved. Though she had no recollection of his Enchanted Forest counterpart, Keith O'Hare was nothing but a drunken slob and a womanizer to boot. There were times, a very rare few, when she felt a little too lonely and walked into his sphere to serve her own amusements.

She didn't recall what he had done to spurn her. The queen simply hated him and everything he stood for. It was probably why he ended up under the curse despite her mother's protection spell.

 _What other reason could there be?_

"So he's a threat?" She said.

The former sheriff groaned at that. He took a large unattractive swig from his tankard and then belched quite disgustingly. He gave her a broad grin he probably thought was handsome and slid his hand up her thigh.

"He's a menace," Nottingham replied, "and I know exactly how to stop him."

"I'm listening."

"His camp," Nottingham said, "I know where it is he's hiding his men. If you'll let me, I can take you there and show you what kind of man he really is."

"And why should I trust you?" She asked.

"You shouldn't," the former sheriff said, "but you won't be disappointed if you come along."

He left just as quickly as he came. The smug bastard even left her with the tab to boot. She paid it with a vicious growl. Then she startled when a glass of water appeared on the counter before her.

"Here's your drink," Zelena said.

Her sister appeared with perfect timing. She gave the queen two glasses of water and a whiskey. The alcohol burned as it washed down but it was enough. The two waters had the perfect cooling effect on her tongue.

"So did it work?" Her sister asked.

The wicked witch paused as she observed the second glass of water disappear down the queen's throat. There was an odd gleam swirling in her eyes, something happy and pleased. Her lips were even tilted upwards in victory for a reason the queen didn't quite want to fathom.

"Perfectly," Regina said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Her hand rose high in the air. A perfect red fireball found home in her favorite white porcelain vase. If she wasn't so filled with rage already she would have screamed. But her flames were on the verge of destroying Henry's precious book and she couldn't have that.

It was stupidity that forced her aim to fall short. A simple gesture in the wrong direction and suddenly her fireball was on the rebound. She dropped the book to protect herself, a foolish mistake if ever she made one.

The wretched thief took advantage of her weakness. He rolled on top of the book and lunged towards the front door. It was her magic that saved her. With a swipe of her hand the thief soared through the air. The book fell from his grasp when his back slammed into her pristine white walls.

She had no time to think. The rage flared through her bones and clogged all other emotions. Her hand curved and she stomped towards her captive, hand poised to pound into his chest. She wanted his heart.

"Milady please!" The thief cried.

Regina twirled, half expecting her beloved Robin Hood to be there standing behind her with that ridiculous self-satisfied smirk. Her fireballs grew up her arms at the anger in her veins when he wasn't there. She was going to rip that thief's head off and explain that going near the Dark One was stupid.

She vowed not to feel guilty over this person's passing.

But when she turned in the direction of that wretched thief, her heart stopped. The fire was instantly doused as she stared at the young man bravely standing, well struggling, before her. He raised his hands to her cautiously, not with fear but with something else entirely.

Regina observed the bright brown eyes of the young man before her. She recognized the light in those honey orbs. An instant shock to her heart made her step forward without even understanding why. But the young man's curly mop just kept bouncing as he stepped towards her.

 _He needs a haircut_ , she thought. She shook her head and tried to figure out why she even cared. She wasn't even aware of when she let him go. It was only when the young, handsome stranger began to smile that she fully understood who he was.

Dimples chiseled away at his face as she stared at him in recognition.

"I know you," Regina said.

The boy smiled wider and nodded his head. Tears instantly sprung to Regina's eyes. She watched as her right hand grazed his dimpled cheeks. Her thumb still loved how soft his skin was. And the stubble attempting to grow was just as soft as his father's.

"I know you," she cried again.

"You would never hurt me," the thief replied.

It broke her heart how tentative he sounded. She just wanted to pull him and his deep watery voice into her arms and never let go. She watched with pure joy in her heart as he leaned more into her touch. In a simple breath, they would be reunited again.

"Ro-" she began.

She watched the look of horror on his face when she disappeared away from him. Her brown eyes turned hatefully towards her master. Fire grew up her arms in her anger. The dark man simply smiled and shook his head.

He held her dagger up teasingly. That bastard, her master held her prisoner in her own home and now he had her standing outside the pearly white mass of a mansion. It used to belong to her, her only true home, and her master had taken that away with a simple sleazy grin.

He held up her cursed dagger and gave her one very simple order.

"Show these mongrels our power."

She had no choice but to obey. Her arms instantly lifted without her permission. The front door swung open. The thief stood with the book held firmly in his grasp.

She turned to her master in search of her new orders. He simply grinned and pushed the dagger forward. If she reached out just so she could almost touch it and freedom would be hers.

 _Then we can punish him truly._

And just as she was about to unleash her full power, smoke surrounded her from all sides. She was disoriented and couldn't see where she was. The smoke cleared and long blonde locks were suddenly there.

Emma Swan stood before her with a look of concern on her features. The blonde's green eyes flickered for a moment towards the young boy she was almost reunited with then they returned. Chocolate orbs were met by green and a new understanding took place.

"Run little knight, run!" Regina screamed.

The fire burst from her hands painfully quick but the sheriff got the message. The blonde rushed towards the young man who was now doing the exact opposite of his instructions. He was stupidly running towards her, trying to save her from their enemy. He was shouting and Regina had to torch every floor of the mansion just to keep his words drowned.

 _Kill them! Kill them all… each and every one!_

The windows blew out just as the command was given. The force of the blow propelled her away from her once glorious house. She slammed through her greedy untrimmed hedges and into the closest car.

Alarms went off all around her. Something buzzed in the back of their head; her head. She stumbled to her feet a bit, barely able to distinguish between black paved road and lush green grass. The bright blue sky kept bobbing and weaving up and down.

Flames shot out of her palms and the hedges suddenly lit up. The mayor was disgruntled by the specks of ash and soot on her jacket. Quickly she flicked it away and scrubbed herself clean of the horrible residue.

"Regina!"

Emma Swan stood before her hands extended for battle. Regina couldn't help the small smirk that fluttered onto her features. She raised her hands too, ready to make the blonde sheriff regret ever crossing her. But the young thief with bouncing curls, big brown eyes and his father's damn dimples was running her way, shouting out with all his might for her attention.

 _No,_ her master's voice echoed loud inside her head _. I have a better end for them._

The tug in her stomach stopped the mayor in her tracks. That horrible race of fear flooded her veins. Instinctively she fought against the pull, until the pain became too much to bear. Then and only then did she allow herself to answer her master's call.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It was a trap. Of all the stupid, blasphemous things. Nottingham led her straight into a trap. And she fell for it because of her own stupid mistake.

The ogre roared, reminding the queen once again why she was running in the first place. Her heels were a foolish choice for today's journey. If she didn't need her magic so badly she would have made quick work of switching to her boots, but ogres were fickle beings. They required a straight shot and this stupid one was an adult who clearly knew a thing or two about magic.

Calling for Emma was useless. The savior was nowhere to be found and Zelena was equally as helpful. Prince Charming and his precious Snow would have been great if they even bothered to show but they too seemed busy. So, she was on her own running from an ogre and she couldn't even magic away because they were too close to the townline.

A twig snapped and suddenly the world was engulfed in an eternal circle of blue and green. Fire burned on her right knee and something coppery flooded her taste buds. Regina had to muffle back a curse.

Stupid ogres and their good hearing, she thought.

She tried to stand but the fire in her leg only seemed to grow. Now she was stuck at the bottom of some stupid hill, surrounded by broken branches and dead leaves. She couldn't even call for help because her phone was lying feet away, shattered into smithereens.

There was an impressive debate going on in the depths of the queen's mind. If she magicked her phone into working order again she could call Emma and hope the savior would come. But the cost would be that she wouldn't have enough ammo for another attack on the stupid ogre.

As if in reply to her thoughts, the ground began to shake. Two giant feet slammed into the earth all around. An awful decaying smell filled the air. Two more giant smacks upon the earth and the ogre was there.

Regina raised her hands and aimed. She focused on every bit of anger she had and waited. The ogre didn't disappoint. He approached with his mouth wide open and his clawing black teeth out for blood.

The fire ball flung from her hands. It missed. The stupid ogre managed to duck it at the last second. He even gave a low rumbling chuckle that sent the right kind of shivers down the queen's spine. Then he was running towards her at much faster pace.

Screw it, Regina thought.

She closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable. She waited.

And waited…

Her eyes opened to the guttural roar of the ogre before her. An arrow, a single golden fleck on the air, lodged itself up the beast's nose and seemed only intent on rising ever higher. The ogre howled, as expected. He raised both hands high into the air to swat away at the golden arrow intent on destroying his nostrils.

So distracted was he that he failed to note the second golden shimmer in the air. The arrow struck where brow met nose. Green globby blood oozed from the ogre's fatal wound. It fell in a large heap barely a foot away from the injured queen.

"Milady are you... you're injured!"

Before Regina could even dare think of an answer warmth surrounded her. The fire of her knee disappeared. The slight ringing in her ears was gone. Even the taste of copper no longer assailed her throat.

Just as she was about to brush off the leaves and twigs intwined in her clothes, the mark of a lion crest appeared covered in perfect black ink.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Mama!"

Emma watched as the young thief kept shouting out. She watched as his eyes glistened when the Dark One disappeared from view. The thief simply lunged forward, calling to the woman who left so quickly.

"Mama!" He said again and again.

Emma had to restrain him to get him to stop. Her arms wrapped around his chest and he struggled against her. Tears stung at her own eyes at the boy's desperation. She pulled him closer, hugging him and crying at the unfairness of it all.

"Roland," she said softly.

The boy stopped at the use of his name. His struggling form fell limp at the familiar title on her tongue. She fell to the ground with him as he cried out. Her hands wiped away the unruly curls on his forehead. She tucked him in under her chin just as she had when he was younger.

"Your name is Roland," she whispered into his soft, lush curls.

The sobs took him instantly after that. The sheriff had never known him when he was only with his father. Anytime the little boy in her arms appeared he was always Regina's little shadow. He enjoyed having the queen for a mother, even if she wasn't his biologically. Now Emma had to watch him deal with the loss all over again.

"She knew who I was," the boy replied.

"We found your father," she told him, "We found Robin."

She pulled back and found herself staring into the deep pools of chocolate eyes. Little Roland did indeed grow as Regina predicted him to. He was absolutely beautiful and the perfect combination of Robin and Marian. But the light in those eyes, that was all Regina.

"Your father remembers everything," Emma told him, "Which means we can get your mother back."

She was rewarded with the biggest, widest dimples she had ever seen.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina stared hard at the thief. His bright blue eyes were dulled. Their regular gleam cast out with anger and darkness. No smile adorned his face nor were there crinkles to show his mirth at her helplessness. There was only the buzz of anger and despair.

"Milady," he said.

He offered his hand to her as if she too were a peasant. The queen was momentarily torn between shock and indignation. She took the proffered hand and declared her thanks without a moment of hesitation. The thief looked surprised to say the least.

His blue eyes were blown wide as if shot by some stray flame. An open mouth was his to display along with two rows of perfect white teeth. Yet Regina found herself mesmerized by that big strong tongue and the sudden thought of it swirling around her own suddenly parched lips.

"Are you alright?" The thief asked.

His nose crinkled at the bridge and dared to turn his blue eyes black. A hint of distress took over his features. He pulled the queen close, their noses almost touching. His calloused hands latched onto her cheeks with fervor. They were surprisingly soft despite their roughness.

Then his hands were suddenly on her shoulders, one venturing further down. The thief was already burrowing into her chest before she understood. She caught him by the wrist just as his nimble fingers brushed against the vital organ hidden there.

"I'm fine," the queen said.

A large sigh of relief was his only reply. His blue eyes closed and he dared to bend his head so their foreheads were touching. For a moment a small flutter soared through Regina's chest as the thief's hand stroked lightly against her heart.

He withdrew it a moment later and the queen felt empty.

"You insufferable woman," the thief dared scream, "What were you thinking?"

The answer should have been obvious. Regina was certain her reasoning was quite sound. But the words held firmly on her tongue as she watched the thief plow back and forth on the earth.

He was muttering like a madman, listing off the terrible things that could have happened had he not been present. He even had the audacity to wave a surprisingly clean finger at her. Then he was off pacing again paying her no mind.

Regina was going to give him a piece of her mind.

"Who do you think you are?" She yelled, "because last I checked a petty thief who stole from the rich to give to the poor did not a kingdom make! I'm trying to protect the people of Storybrooke and your encounter with my formerly powerless now powerful genie dared suggest you know what's about to happen."

He opened his mouth to argue but she had enough.

"Which also means dear thief!" she spat the word, "that you are the only one who can help me stop it!"

The thief stared at her, mouth once again agape and blue eyes clouding with darkness once more. The damned man had the nerve to be outraged with her. He even stepped forward and showcased those mouthwatering dimples to invade her personal space.

"Perhaps while you were running away," he said, "it escaped your notice that the sheriff is nowhere to be found."

Regina blinked. She had missed that. She had simply assumed he was killed ages ago. It was odd. She wasn't usually so lax in her observations. Her keen eyes were well trained to spot magic at a moment's notice. Why didn't she notice before?

"You've no worries, milady," the thief said, "While you were traipsing about the woods alone the sheriff deigned himself worthy of running to my camp. He then dared brag how he convinced you to come to his cabin in the woods for a night of passion when you were attacked by that ogre. Now that you're safe I'll be off to make certain he is paid what is due."

"And how will you find him?" Regina said, "with whatever untrained force you have at your disposal?"

She was of course talking about his magic. The blue bolts kept sparking from his fingertips. It was obvious to anyone that control was not on the table when dealing with the thief's magical properties. The situation needed a much more delicate touch.

"I happen to be well schooled in magic and more powerful since my evil half decided to get with the program," she said, "Perhaps I can be of some assistance."

"I don't remember asking for your services," Robin Hood replied.

"You didn't," the queen said, "but despite having the situation perfectly under control... you saved my life. I owe you a debt. I don't do debts."

There was something about those words. It brought a cheeky grin to the thief's face, dimples on full display and a gentle spark in his eyes. Regina found her breath catching at the light suddenly enveloping him from head to toe.

"Alright," he said, "Just don't get in my way, yeah?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied.

She was the first to lead the way but she knew he was watching her. That same smug smirk was back on his features. There was a certain bounce to his step. His rough breathing almost seemed… happy.

"So," Regina began, "About the other day…"

Perhaps it wasn't the way to go. His sigh was a bit too long and there was something strenuous in it, as though he was about to burst under pressure. Still he made no move to speak and Regina always hated not being in control.

"I'm sorry for…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Robin Hood said, "Nor to discuss. Now if we could just continue on our journey."

He made a gesture to do just that and Regina followed, for a bit. But she felt compelled to clear the air between herself and her companion. Perhaps it was all the time she spent with Snow or maybe listening to all the tact of Emma and her stupid pirate. Maybe Charming's need to talk if only to fill the air was brushing off on her. But whatever the reason, Regina Mills could not keep quiet for long while the thief brooded beside her.

"Roland's mother-"

"Is not up for discussion," the thief said, "and if you wish to continue as my uninvited guest I expect you to accept that."

He expected silence. His brooding demeanor suggested that completely. He even picked up pace to lead the way. Still that was nothing to deter Regina.

"Zelena told me what she did to you," she said, "I know it doesn't mean much but I'm sorry. If I had…"

"Don't," he begged, "Please don't say that. I couldn't bear it if you did."

Her cheeks flared with heat. Embarrassment plagued every inch of her being. She swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat and dared continue despite herself.

"I just know what it's like to lose someone you love. It can be very… difficult to move on."

"Of that I am well aware," was his reply.

He walked ahead of her to end the conversation. His blue eyes were clouded over with anger that he refused to shed. His shoulders were stiff as a board. Even his feet moved as if held down by concrete.

"Believe it or don't," the queen said, "but I do know how you feel."

She paused for a moment. The memory of her precious stable boy was still stuck on the moment of his inevitable demise. She could still hear the hope in his voice, right before her mother plunged her hand into his chest and ground his heart into dust.

"His name was Daniel," she said, "and like you I didn't know how to go on. It was many years, and mistakes, later when I was finally able to shed the Evil Queen because of Henry…"

"Your son," Robin nodded, "yes. I've heard the story before. How you changed everything for the sake of your son's happiness."

"Then you must know what it's like," she said, "How it feels to find someone you would change your whole world for… to find your second chance-"

"I don't get a second chance!"

The thief's thunderous reply brought them both to an unexpected halt. His blue eyes were bright, his dimpled cheeks stained with tears. His right hand shook as it held his fabled blue bow. But it was the sadness on his face that truly tore the queen's heart.

"Don't you understand?" Robin said, "She sacrificed herself for Storybrooke. I must honor her sacrifice. I cannot betray her so… not again. Not after the wicked witch."

Regina was forced to watch the man crumble. He bowed to his knees and slung his shoulders forward. His head fell to the ground and the sobs wracked his body. His blue bow even glowed in its master's despair.

 _I'm with you… always._

The queen fell to her knees beside him. Hesitantly she pressed her hands to his shoulder blades and stayed them there. His sobs began to shake her body too. Gently she pressed her cheek to his hair and held him tight.

 _The tunnel was unusually cold. Regina could feel the chill seeping into her bones. She could barely stand to breathe and yet the thief was standing there, providing all the warmth she needed._

 _You are my future._

 _The press of his lips pressed against hers. A wonderful feeling of light filled her chest. Warmth spread through her chilled bones and brought forth a new heat through her veins. She felt her heart soar._

The thief moved away and the vision dissipated. Emptiness filled her chest to the brim and a single painful tear fell away from her eye. Her breathing was almost impossible to control. These factors were the sole reason she missed the fact the thief was speaking.

"…if we split up we'll do better to find Nottingham before Rothbart kills him for his failure."

"Rothbart?"

She didn't understand why but that name was familiar. Somehow she knew that name was important. It had to be to strike such fear into her soul.

"The madman responsible," Robin explained, "I think we'll cover more ground if we split up. I'll take the woods and you can search the nearby docks. Perhaps he's hiding there."

He was lying. The queen sensed it with every fiber of her being. Her mind was screaming at her in warning, to disobey and never let him go. But her tongue refused to cooperate. Instead she gave a shy nod and even smiled.

"I agree," she said, "We'll cover more ground and we can meet by the park bench in an hour."

The thief looked surprised she so easily gave in. The queen even felt his eyes remain on her as she walked purposefully towards the docks. She knew the moment he turned away from her.

A smile appeared upon her features as she followed him.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The sheriff's station probably wasn't the best place to meet. Rothman or Rothbart or whatever this new villain's name was probably had his greasy mitts all over it. But it was the first image that popped into Emma Swan's mind. She and Roland both lacked the energy to climb into the two lonely swivel chairs in the station, let alone the three more blocks to her father's apartment.

"Sit," Emma ordered.

She didn't have to look as she plopped her own butt in the chair. A playful smirk formed on her lips as she heard the giant huff of air issue from her son's kind-of-sort-of-basically-already-is stepbrother's lips. A large left arm swiftly swept away the few stray curls that dared bounce into honey brown eyes.

A dimpled smile formed on his lips the moment their eyes met. Emma playfully raised an eyebrow before dialing away on the station phone. Her father answered at a predictably quick speed.

"I found the thief," Emma said, "We're in the station and-"

Blue smoke appeared before she even had time to explain. The male sheriff and their deputy were coughing in fits, phone still held tightly in David's left hand. Odette wore a heavy scowl on her features that gave the perfect impression of Regina Mills. Her green leather arms were folded upon her chest and that left boot was thumping away impatiently.

It was Robin Hood's reaction that had Emma bursting into a riotous fit of giggles. His excited gaze landed on his son and fell away. The gaze was thunderous as he took in Roland's appearance. Blue eyes filled with quiet rage as he stared at his heir.

"You stole from your mother?" He growled.

The thief opened his mouth to argue. He even raised his right hand as if to further explain his point, but his father would have none of it. The world renowned Prince of Thieves, though Emma quietly supposed he was the King of Thieves if Odette's tales were anything to go by, grabbed his son by the scruff of his neck and flung him to his feet.

"What were you thinking boy?" Robin asked, "You could have been killed. What would your mother have done if she had killed you? What fool steals from the Evil Queen?"

"I didn't steal from the Evil Queen," Roland replied, "and I didn't take anything from my mother thank you very much. This whole arresting thing is because I stole from Rumpelstiltskin. I didn't know Mama was the Dark One."

"What?" Odette screamed, "When the hell were you going to tell me that?"

Emma stepped in before the girl could give voice to her inner diatribe of anger. A calming hand fell on Robin's shoulder and somehow another smile graced her face. She could practically feel the bubble of hope beating rapidly against her chest.

"Your son may have just stolen our way of defeating this curse," she explained.

She waved to Roland with that stupid smile still on her face. She could feel her father and Killian's steady gazes and she didn't care. Emma Swan was finally embracing the hope and there was nothing that would stand in her way. Besides, Robin Hood's next words alone explained her behavior perfectly.

"Roland," Robin said, "What did your sticky little fingers find?"

The thief's dimples returned ten-fold. He presented before his captive audience a hard covered book exactly like its predecessors. Once Upon a Time was carved into intricately delicate leather. Pictures flashed across the pages that showed a progression of time so very different from their own.

But the real prize was the last page.

It was of the Evil Queen with those silly black tendrils of smoke. The sky was covered in purple clouds. The yellow bug was in the distance just as before. Even the caption still read the same:

And so the story ends as it began… The Evil Queen casts her dark curse.

"I don't understand," David said, "That's not what Regina looked like when she cast the curse… either one of them."

"This is the new curse, Dad," Emma replied.

Her green eyes took in the cool, crisp blue of her father's. There was pain there, betrayal too. The sting of it was buried deep in Emma's own chest so she recognized it on her father's features. But there was something else too. He looked almost… disbelieving.

"Dad?"

"Why would she cast the curse?" David asked, "If Regina became the Dark One the dark curse would be the absolute last thing she would do. Henry is her price."

A sliver of fear ran up and down the sheriff's spine. After everything going on in Storybrooke, Emma had almost forgotten. Henry, her beloved son, was missing and his siblings were roaming about trying to stop the curse. Everything pointed to her son's heart being sacrificed.

But if that was the case wouldn't his siblings hate their mother for it?

"Robin," Emma said, "How did Regina become the Dark One?"

"I don't know."

The answer was far from the one she wanted. Unfortunately Robin was not the only one shaking his head in dismay. Both Roland and Odette were equally confused on the difficult subject.

"How can you not know?" David asked, "Unlike the rest of us you remember!"

"Yes," the outlaw agreed, "But unlike the rest of you I wasn't conscious. I barely remember the curse being cast. I honestly didn't know if Roland, Henry and Odette made it out of the Enchanted Forest in time."

"Henry!" Emma perked up at that, "Henry was with you?"

The girl nodded her head enthusiastically while the thief merely gave a simple shrug and a heavy roll of his eyes. Emma found herself dumbfounded that she hadn't recognized the boy before. Now that her eyes were open, she could see the familial resemblance between the mayor and her prodigy.

"You act surprised," Odette said, "Why are you surprised? Why would you think Henry wouldn't be with us? Is there something else you're not telling me because I'm starting to get super pissed off with all the secrets around here!"

"I think somebody is forgetting about a certain secret we've been carrying these last few months," Roland replied.

Odette's lips glued together so quickly it was comical. Emma even allowed the bubble of laughter to burst forth. It was such a relief to laugh again. The sheriff had almost forgotten how wonderful a feeling it was. Hell, she couldn't believe how much weight was lifted from her shoulders with every wonderful revelation.

"So," David said, "How does the book help?"

"Easy," Roland replied, "I figured the first book would do it, but apparently I was wrong. This is the second book…"

"Second book?" Killian repeated, "There's another bloody book?"

"Several," Emma reminded, "Henry said something about many of them being stored in New York. It makes sense that with the new curse a new one would have to be made. And, if it's a new book then that would mean it was written by Henry the new author."

"And since it was the first book that brought back Henry's memories to break the second curse," Roland said, "I figure we have a shot. Plus Emma being the Savior should give her some leeway on breaking the curse upon herself at least."

"In theory," Odette agreed, "According to Mom you would be able to remember when the rest of you couldn't because you do have some immunities and special privileges nobody else has."

"You were born to break the curse, love," Killian said, "and like before you can escape it."

A saying like that should have made Emma cringe. It was a reminder of the mayor and words said out of pain and impending loss. But those words spoken by her true love weren't a painful reminder of the past as they should have been. Instead they acted as another balm of hope to her heart.

"Alright," Emma said, "No harm in trying."

Roland extended the book out eagerly. His dimples disappeared but his honey brown eyes were filled with blustering hope. Emma couldn't help but stretch out her hands in equal fervor. She could feel the hope pounding through her chest it was so strong.

A sharp metal hook stopped her from taking that last lovely plunge. Green eyes found home in ocean blue. Killian looked at her with such love and concern and every other emotion under the sun.

"I have to," Emma whispered.

"Aye," Killian agreed with a small smirk, "but be careful, yea? That's my true love you're messing with there."

"I trust them," Emma said, "They're family."

The hook disappeared without further ado. A soft hesitant smile took hold of stern features. The deputy couldn't resist a little wink and Emma huffed in exasperation. Again she held out her hands to receive the book like the treasure it truly was. Roland unleashed it with care.

They waited.

"Is something happening?" Odette asked, "Something's supposed to be happening right?"

"Henry said handing her the book should be enough," Roland replied.

"Maybe she's not holding it right," Killian replied, "Here love, let's give it a turn. Perhaps the magic comes after the first page."

It was the moment when Killian Jones had a hand and a hook upon the book. His skin made a brief moment of contact. The book began to glow a bright yellow. The world spun on its axis. Screams and shouts were heard from all around, a distant hum compared to the loud obnoxious buzzing in the air.

Then the world turned black once more.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

It was a clearing. The whole time they were heading for a clearing in the woods. Regina was getting quite sick of clearings in the woods. Why couldn't a villain be more original? Even as the Evil Queen, most of her encounters had some form of fanfare.

Of course she was a queen and allowed such frivolities.

It truly was no excuse this time. Honestly a dark clearing wasn't even beyond the realms of imagination. This villain was about as unoriginal as they came. The queen had never been so disgusted in her life.

"I've come alone," Robin said, "You've no need to threaten her."

 _Her?_

Well, now Regina knew why the thief was so torn up. His true love was out there, waiting for him to save her from a curse. The poor thing didn't even know how loved she was. If the queen could help earn the thief his happy ending, perhaps there was hope for her.

"Alone," Nottingham said, "How poetic. This, the man who stole my Marian… who denied me my rightful due so long ago is suffering at last as the scum you truly are. Tell me… is it painful to look into her eyes and see only nothing in return?"

"Stop," Robin Hood begged.

It pained the queen to hear him so desperate. She just wanted to take his pain and rip it all away. If only she knew how.

"Unfortunately the true king finds this punishment unfitting," Nottingham said, "He wants more in his revenge and I find his plans delightful."

Anger flared through the thief then. His entire face morphed into one of pure rage. His fingers shot up into the air and the sparks went flying. Giant, dangerous bolts of light swam from his fingertips and slammed straight into the drunkard's chest.

The bastard didn't even flinch. He simply burst into laughter as if the streams of light merely tickled. Regina couldn't help but feel her own anger flare.

"Did you really think that would work?" Nottingham said, "The True King knows you better than you know yourself. Your power is stolen just like everything else you have. You're nothing but a common thief. You're a fraud of a man, a man without honor."

That was the final straw. A swirl of heat blasted through Regina's heart and filled her every bone. The power burst to her fingertips and leapt to the air with ease. She pushed those angry flames forward and unleashed her fury.

The moment of contact proved fruitful on many fronts. It stunned Robin Hood enough to force an uneasy rest, recuperating his magical stores whether he wanted to or not. A scream of dreadful proportions flew from Rothbart's mouth. His sleazy slimy smirk was finally erased. And Regina fed from it.

The drunkard's screams filled the queen with an indescribable feeling of excitement. Every painful moan falling from his lips sent shivers of joy up and down her spine. Her stomach filled with butterflies as the man fell to his knee.

 _I finally found something to live for… someone to destroy!_

 _I know what I am and what I want and right now… it's your head on a spike._

 _She's a monster!_

 _The woman I know is the furthest thing from a monster-_

Then the anger stopped and there was only guilt.

 _There is someone out there for you… someone you're fated to be with. And I'm here to find him._

 _You've met Tinkerbell._

 _I can help people find what they need, Regina._

 _And what do I need?_

 _You don't even know? Regina, that's so sad; Regina, love! You need love._

 _You're going to help me find another soulmate?_

 _It is possible to find love again._

 _We all get a second chance, Regina._

 _I'm here… always._

The power at her fingertips, the flames she so easily spurted without thought, died down into a small sputter. A sense of calm fell upon her from somewhere she couldn't describe. Suddenly murder was the furthest thing from her mind.

A crackle of leaves forced the queen to look left. Robin Hood's bright blue eyed gaze was steady on her. His lips pressed together firmly. His features were blazing with a mixture of fear, regret and acceptance. His right hand even reached forward as if to touch her face lion tattoo on full display.

 _I have lived by a code my entire life. Be truthful, righteous and good._

 _Then why are you here?_

 _Today is not one of those days._

 _Rough hard lips grazed hers with gentle ferocity._ Regina could still feel their harsh imprint despite not knowing whose lips they were. She still felt the love pull away at her heart and ache for more.

"You!" Nottingham said, his voice an unpleasant whip on the wind.

Regina looked up suddenly feeling perplexed. She didn't understand what was going on. Foreign feelings, they had to be foreign because why else would she be so deathly terrified of this moron; they fluttered through her chest and made a home there as if they belonged. Her fingers shook with the sheer power of the emotions.

"You may not remember me," Nottingham said, "but I remember you. And you will be punished too!"

He raised his hands and another image filled Regina's mind. A strange man with a thunderbolt was talking. He was shouting at her, bemoaning her influence on her sister. He had plans. He wasn't just going to kill her.

 _It's going to end you._

Regina's breath came out in ragged gasps. Nottingham, bastard that he was, found himself a weapon of his own. It glowed an elaborate blue and shined like some beacon in his hands. The lightning shape did nothing but increase the queen's heartrate as he played with it. The drunkard's elbows pelted forward with his thrust. Two giant bolts sizzled in his grasp.

 _No underworld. No moving on. One minute you exist and the next… you don't!_

"Revenge at last," the drunkard said.

 _A sharp blue light shot out. She could feel its electric heat in the air and on her skin. A shadow flickered in the peripheral of her vision. It stretched and moved until the shadow took shape._

 _It was the thief. He stood before her and absorbed the lightning bolts without a second thought. Her stupid, silly, idiotic thief sacrificed himself because he loved her._

 _He loved her._

 _And no matter what separates us, I know you'll always be that heroine woman I fell in love with._

The bolts unleashed from Nottingham's hands. They pelted towards the damned thief as fast as they could. There was nothing standing between him and death.

 _That arrow almost took off my head!_

 _Well that door almost took off your arm… where I come from a simple thank you would suffice._

 _He's a thief which means he's not to be trusted. What are you even still doing here?_

 _What I'm doing here is saving your ass._

Regina didn't give it a second thought. She couldn't, not really. The condemning emotions made her do it. She had to act. The fear was mixing far too poorly with her anxiety. It was only natural to give in to the pull. Purple smoke surrounded her in an instant.

The white hot pain of blue bolts made her dizzy. Her heart slammed into the back of her chest and shattered into a million pieces. Her head felt like bursting at any second. Her breath just stopped. She wasn't even sure what was falling.

Was it her? Was it the Earth? Was she just going to end?

"No!" Robin Hood screamed.

 _What do you see in me?_

 _Hopefully the same thing you see in me… a second chance._

 _I'm in love with someone else._

 _I've lost love once. I won't lose it again._

 _Take her. You can protect her and I can't. But you have to save her Regina, please._

 _Even if you choke the life out of me, this arrow will still leave my bow and trust me I never miss!_

 _Where you come from people bathe in the river and use pinecones for money._

 _Please_ , Robin Hood begged, _not her. Anything but her._

"Regina!"

The light was blinding. Something horrible was curled up deep inside her chest and it was blazing. Every inch of bone, muscle, capillary and marrow ached. Her head felt as heavy as lead.

 _Will you marry me?_

 _Always and forever, thief._

 _You will admit that Queen Regina is not your soulmate but mine._

It was magic that saved her. She didn't know what kind. She could only feel its presence washing over her in waves.

The pulse of it was fantastic. It brought forth a world of warmth. Love: that was the dominate feeling. It cascaded over her and threatened to crush her very soul in its heavy grasp. But there was an odd gentility as the old magic swirled around her.

There was a blue shield on her forearm. It just etched itself onto her skin as if it had always been there, a rearing lion piercing its heroic center. The crest shined bright in glory.

 _His left hand reached towards her. Her thief, her precious wonderful thief, reached out just so he could rub her cheek one last time. He was dying and all he wanted in his last moment was to gaze upon her face. Regina found herself reaching towards him as well. Her fingers stretched to touch his one last time to entwine and never let go. Just as they were about to make contact, his soul dispersed. Her beloved Robin Hood was gone forever, dissolved into nothingness and never to be at peace._

A hand snatched at the new tattoo. The thick calloused thumb softly caressed the edges of the crest on her forearm while the thief's nimble fingers pressed little dents into the rest of her skin. The queen almost sighed in bliss at such wonderful contact.

 _He wants you to suffer and he won't stop until he knows you're broken._

With every stroke of Robin's thumb the lion grew. Its giant maw escaped the confines of its magical hold. The claws came out next, slashing at the air around it in search of its target. The magical beast jumped out onto the forest floor and unleashed a mighty roar.

 _I give you everything, Robin Hood._

The roar created its own magic. A ripple broke out from its mighty lips. White fire slammed into the mad Lord Rothbart right in the chest. He was thrown several yards through trees and earth. His angry lightning bolts disappeared as if they were made of nothing but dust.

"Please!" Nottingham begged, "I don't have a choice. He said he would kill me if I didn't do as he asked. He said this was the only way we'd both get our revenge. I was just following orders-"

The lion bounded forward, propelled by its protective desire. It smashed through trees and dug up mounds of dirt just to pounce on its target. Another loud roar unleashed itself directly into the drunkard man's face. The force of noise caused waves to flare on his face.

The trees stretched down their lovely branches. Roots popped up to wrap around his wrists and legs. His jaw was ripped open by the lunging branches. The lion pounced onto the drunkard and together they disappeared. The earth itself swallowed them whole. There was nothing left but the echo of Nottingham's screams.

"Regina?"

The queen had no time to answer whatever the question was. She was spun around and searched from head to toe for injury. The thief didn't even spare a second before his hands wandered all over her. Then the bastard stuck his hand into her chest.

There was no pain that was what was so terrifying. The thief removed the silly organ known as her heart with ease. None of her counterspells or charms did anything to stop it. Her magic itself allowed him to take what he wished without a fight.

Robin held the black and red thing gently in his grasp. He cradled it as he examined its every inch and contour. Regina felt an odd shiver take over with every trace of his index finger upon it. If she wasn't so certain of the impossibility, she would say her heart was glowing white under his touch.

Rage unlike something she had ever felt before suddenly flooded her veins. The thief shoved her heart back in without ceremony and he even smiled at the tiny whimper she unleashed. His arms were rough as they clawed into her shoulders.

"What were you thinking?" He said, "You could have been killed."

She should have given him a reply. The queen had several haughty possibilities on the tip of her tongue. But it was the way he said that, the way he sounded so painstakingly shocked about her possible sacrifice. Regina found herself wanting to hear more and more of the words he spoke.

"He was going to kill you," she simply replied.

"Don't," Robin begged, "Please don't ever do that again. I couldn't… not after… please."

He was on his knees in an instant. His hands came upon each other as if in prayer. Then those hands so full of contradictions curled into her silk shirt and squeezed. Regina watched him bury his face there, the wetness of tears staining her soul.

"Promise me," he said.

Regina watched him, the desperation in his eyes and the stark glistening of tears. Her right hand, once again a traitor, reached towards him. It landed on his cheek and the thumb gave a light stroke. Soon another stroke followed because the thief's eyes rolled back and closed in bliss. He unleashed a rather pleasing moan at such little contact.

"Your wife," the queen spoke, "What was she like?"

Blue eyes popped open and a shutter left chapped lips. The thief rose to his feet in an instant. His shoulders, once relaxed, stiffened. His hands formed twin fists at his side and his jaw hardened. Only his eyes showed his true emotions, his true horror.

"What about her?" He asked.

"You said she sacrificed herself for Storybrooke," Regina replied, "How come I don't remember it?"

"It was merely a footnote in your story milady," the thief said.

The scowl on his face showed his own opinion on the matter. He was selling his true love short and he didn't like it. Regina smirked despite herself and the chaos flittering on about her head.

"She doesn't remember you, does she?" She said, "No need to answer. It's written plainly on your face and you'd be lying if you said you didn't want her back."

"I will not go against her wishes. She's already had too much of that."

His voice was firm, a cracking whip on the wind. His dull blue eyes held so much pain and so much sorrow it was almost too much to bear. So Regina did what she did best; she invaded his personal space and used what the gods gave her to change his mind.

"I can give you the thing you most desire," she said, "You need only ask and she will be yours again."

"Then I would be exactly like those before me," the thief dared reply, "I know the cure, milady. But it cannot be my choice to give her True Love's Kiss. I cannot betray her again."

Another tear slid down his cheek. Honestly the queen should have been disgusted with the man. Emotions were something so highly frowned upon in the Enchanted Forest, but this man made crying an art form. His misery and heartache only made him so much more appealing. He wore his wounded love openly and dared not care should anyone think lesser of him.

Regina only thought more highly of his strength.

"Is it really so selfish to want happiness?" She asked.

This time it was the thief who acted. As the queen carefully played with the lapels of his jacket his right hand rose to meet it. He was careful as his thumb filled her palm. He played with her fingers and kept staring at the ring finger in scorn. Regina felt magic flaring where his middle finger caressed that silly appendage.

"It is selfish to take that decision away from her," he said, "and I will not be selfish and weak when she has asked so much of me."

"And if she chooses you," she said, "How would you deal with the guilt; knowing you are the cause of sorrow in Storybrooke?"

His answer was another lonely tear. The man seemed full of them. How could one being be so full of misery. How could his love be so cruel? Any idiot could see his suffering wasn't worth the price of Storybrooke's safety.

 _Regina, I choose you._

The thief's voice echoed in her head constantly. Little images kept coming and going and it didn't make her feel mad. No the queen found power in those snippets of visions or memories. She found her heart swell with pride and love every time.

It was with this swell that she took the first step.

Her smooth, soft palms gently caressed the thief's face. Her chocolate eyes connected with blue, bright glistening blue. She kept his gaze locked on her own as she inched ever closer.

Their lips met in a soft loving kiss.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Images blurred together. Coarse, crisp crude images of half-baked schemes and other worlds flittered into view. An apple tree surrounded by smaller trees in an unfamiliar blue courtyard popped up. A grand ship that made the Jolly Roger look small dissolved as quickly as it came. Some strange sapphire lion elicited giggles from toddlers that rose no bigger than Killian's knee.

 _Run away and never return._

 _Take her, Henry. Take Lizzy and run!_

 _Cora!_

 _"Don't even think about running away," David said._

 _The thief bent in a graceful bow, his curly mop flopping in rhythm with his movements. He gave a dimpled grin of a childish nature. He crossed his arms against his chest and then spoke, voice dripping with self-satisfaction._

 _"I wouldn't dream of it."_

 _I will have my revenge._

 _You're gonna take my bug and get find us!_

 _Promise me, Emma!_

 _Long live the king._

 _I promise._

 _He killed her… he killed-_

Consciousness was never an easy adjustment. At this point the savior was an expert on the subject. As Emma became more aware of her limbs and her location on the hard cool cement floor, she also became aware of the sounds echoing from above.

"I can't believe I just killed Auntie Em and Uncle Hook."

That was Roland.

"You're telling Mom."

Odette but that was easy to tell.

"Why do I have to?" Again, Roland.

"Because Papa will die if he does it. I have to break the curse and Mom still feels guilty about killing your birth mother even though that was technically Auntie Zee."

Then Odette had the audacity to add, "Though my death would break this curse sooner so let's keep that as a backburner option."

Emma decided then was the best time to alert everyone of her condition. She gave a soft little moan just so the talking would stop. It worked and rough hands were grabbing away at her arms quite roughly. When she opened her eyes she almost rolled them at the fact that it was in fact her father.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Guilt and a bubble of happiness filled the savior's heart at his worry. She nodded her head because words would never do the job. Her father pulled without a second thought and she was standing on her own two feet once more.

Strong arms enveloped her immediately Killian rising to join her just as he always would. He pulled her close and spoke soothing words into her ear. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, every inch of her he could find.

"They did it, love," he said, "They found us."

"Emma?"

The sheriff felt her whole world turn upside down all over again. Tears burned at the backs of her eyes as she turned around to stare at the young woman before her. Odette's bright blue eyes were filled with fear and worry. The girl looked startled at the eyes piercing into her very soul.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Emma smiled and felt the warm, sticky tears falling from her lashes.

"Hello little duck," she said.

Odette's immediate reaction was nothing at all. Her blue eyes simply blew wide before filling with a wonderful light Emma had missed so much. The savior quickly pulled the girl into her arms and held on for dear life. Killian, Emma was pleased to find, was doing the same on the girl's other side.

"Emma?" David asked, "What's going on? Are they telling the truth? Do you remember?"

The savior burst into laughter, a mixture of pure joy and pure sadness. She turned to her father and smiled as brightly as she could. She then pulled him into a hug and held on tight. Her face peeled back into a frown as her memories continued to overwhelm her.

"He didn't want us to have hope," she said, "That's why he made Regina the Dark One."

David pulled away first. His blue eyes gazed into the very depths of his daughter's. He held her at arm's length and Emma hated every second of it.

"Your mother?" He asked.

Emma shook her head.

"I don't know."

The memories were still working to pull at the savior's mind. Whatever magic the dark curse brought was wreaking havoc with everything. Details were still too fuzzy to unload but one image was clear. It was Emma Swan herself who sent the yellow bug through the air.

"Roland," Emma said, "There were certain details about Regina's house you couldn't have remembered. How did you know where to look for the book?"

"Outside source," the thief replied.

"You want to meet him?" Odette asked.

Then Odette's broad beaming smile came on full display. An evil mischievous glint ensnared both Hood children's eyes. Emma found her beloved Captain Hook sporting a mischievous look of his own.

"Show me your source."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Nottingham's steps were light as he walked into the pawnshop. His grey eyes bobbled from object to object, registering the many different ways his torture could be. The Dark One didn't like it when his plans failed. He tended to be quite… angry.

It was a surprise for the former sheriff to discover the imp staring steadfast at a looking glass. The image displayed the thief and the queen, their lips locked in a fervent kiss. They were in the middle of the forest one minute and the next in some strange stone vault. The only thing familiar looking was the bed.

"In the vault as scheduled," Rumpelstiltskin said, "You too."

His right hand waved and the drunkard was propelled forward. The Dark One was vibrating with joy clapping his hands and singing just a bit off key. Nottingham chose to bow and grovel for pity.

"I did as you asked-" he began.

"Indeed you did," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "and because you exceeded expectations I will throw in protection from Ms. Swan for free."

It was needless to say that Nottingham was confused. Of all the expectations he had for this night, survival was on the bottom three. The thought of protection from the savior or the rest of her unbearable family is too much to even hope for.

So the drunkard rose to his full height and noticed for the first time the voices in the room.

"You chose me," Robin said, "How can I hate you for that?"

The queen tried to reply but she was cut off. The two shared an eager, hungry kiss before the looking glass turned into a mirror once more. The imp had on a rather smarmy smile too.

"You said I was going to destroy his happy ending," Nottingham said.

"And you did it perfectly dearie," the Dark One replied, "Thanks to you the curse can be cast as scheduled. Congratulations. I knew you had it in you to fail."

"You knew?" Nottingham growled, "This was your plan all along. To give the thief and his harlot their happy ending."

"Careful dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I can always take the gift back."

"But why?"

To this the Dark One pranced forward as if this was what he was waiting for from the very beginning. He magicked up a chair and forced the drunkard to sit in it. Then he leaned forward with both hands cradling his chin.

"Every curse must be broken," the imp said, "Don't fret too much, dearie. Robin Hood will lose his happy ending soon. The Dark Curse will be cast… in about nine months exactly, give or take a few weeks."

With that the Dark One handed off his protection spell. The Sheriff of Nottingham even received his beating black heart. But there was no other explanation to be had. Robin Hood still got his happy ending and for Nottingham there was nothing to be had.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

They stood at the town line. Odette had made the phone call hours ago. Nightfall had them well protected. The moonless sky made it impossible for shadows to appear. So they waited for their final member to arrive.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" David asked, "She gave you the book. Maybe her magic is interfering with yours. Maybe she's…"

"What, Dad?" Emma asked, "She can't be lying. Killian remembers too and the magic only worked when both held the book. Besides how else do you explain Robin's memories?"

"But I thank you kindly for your vote of confidence," Odette replied.

David looked at the girl with wide eyes filled to the brim in horror. He stepped closer to her, observing her clearly for the very first time. He grabbed onto her shoulders and pulled her close. His eyes took in every detail of her face and hair.

"Regina," he gasped.

"Yeah," Emma replied, "and that's not the only surprise."

Emma pointed in the direction of two headlights beaming towards them. It was too dark to see the color of the car or even tell anything more than its odd shape. But the motor purred with the sound of money and the tires made no screech when they stopped. The car stayed exactly three feet in front of Emma Swan and moved not one inch closer.

A figure stepped out of the driver's side car. He stood staring, making no move to say anything at all.

"Emma Swan," Odette said, "Meet our contact."

"We call him the author," Roland said.

Emma's jaw dropped.

"Henry," she said.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:** With Hook and Emma's memories back they are faced with Regina's first orders as the New Dark One; deliver Daniel Swan or watch Storybrooke burn. Back in time, Henry struggles with his role as The Author. For his siblings, he must make the choice between allowing the curse to happen or changing fate.


	14. The Prince Swan

WARNING: Evil Queen seduction of Henry (through no fault of her own). It's two or three lines before going straight to Emma's thoughts but hey, I had to deal with Golden-Queen make-out sessions throughout the first half of the season and I'm of the sum who think he's close enough to be the baby daddy for that to be gross. So, I apologize for the suffering but it does have something to do with the plot so suffer at your own peril.

* * *

Storybrooke - Now

A deep rage filled the very veins of the sheriff of Storybrooke. There was an indignant sense of wrong in her heart, flaring under every inch of skin. Emma had known darkness before. She was once completely imbibed by the Dark One. She knew exactly what kind of mess they were in.

And there was only one man who ever survived it.

It was with this knowledge and a heavy heart of hatred that Sheriff Swan entered Mr. Gold's pawnshop. She slammed open the glass door and barged into the store as if she owned the place. Her boots were heavy as they hit the floor. Her hands were unforgiving when they slapped down hard on the only intact glass counter in the shop.

"Regina's the Dark One," she said by way of explanation.

The pawnbroker was placing a book upon the back top shelf when she entered. That same book fell from his hands the moment her announcement fell from her lips. His hands flew backwards, as did the rest of his body. There was a comedic moment where Emma thought she would get to see the man fall from his odd perch atop a wobbly stepping stool.

No such luck. Mr. Gold reestablished his equilibrium. The older man climbed down the two wooden steps, grabbed his cane and turned as if no such graceless fall almost happened. His face was completely stoic and lacking emotion.

"You knew," Emma accused.

Mr. Gold's reply was a deep sigh. He shook his head, as if Emma would ever make the mistake of believing that. A greater sigh fell from the older man's lips. For once he allowed defeat to play across his features. His amber eyes closed away for a moment and true regret appeared on his features.

"By the gods above," he said.

Emma hated him. The man had done everything to earn her hatred and he dared pray for help when he was at fault. Her friend was in even greater danger because of his mistakes, because of his betrayal!

"How are you alive?" Emma asked, "If she's the Dark One you should be dead! You should be dead you coward-"

A calloused hand grabbed her shoulder. A gentle application of pressure forced the sheriff to turn to her right. Robin Hood was there standing with her, a sad smile on his features. A soft nod forced his hand. The backs of her green eyes prickled and burned with unshed tears.

"How is this possible?" Emma asked, "I watched it happen. Rothbart had your heart. He's the one who crushed it, not Regina! How are you still alive?"

"And how exactly did you become the Dark One?" Mr. Gold asked, "Or your pirate boyfriend for that matter. As much as you wish for answers I am afraid I can offer no assistance. Without magic I am no more than a puppet to the hands of fate just like the rest of you. And as far as Rothbart crushing my heart goes… having your memories back should explain everything."

He sounded remorseful at least. If Emma didn't want to rip his throat out so much she probably would have been comforted by his words. Instead she only found an empty hollowness in her heart. Her body ached with the stress and emotional turmoil of the past few days, the past few weeks.

"How do we find the dagger?" Emma asked, "How do we set her free?"

Mr. Gold simply shrugged in reply. His amber eyes moved to an image behind her, forcing her to do the same. Belle, his beloved wife, and the deputy Killian Jones were in deep discussion. Judging by Belle's harsh intake of breath she had just become privy to her husband's news.

"Oh Rumple," Belle said, "What can we do?"

Silence filled the air in a harsh, cruel way. It stuck to the tension in the air and clung to it like a leech to human flesh. There was no room for air. There was only oppressing silence.

Finally a voice found strength to croak. It drew in a giant gulp of air, finding the courage of his youth. His brown hair was long and swept to the left with mouse. His shoulders were decorated in a soft grey suit. His sneakers were traded in for leather oxfords. The only thing that remained were the glow of brown eyes and ink stains on his right hand.

"Break the curse," Henry said, "It's the only way to save her."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Regina was meeting with Zelena today and Henry wasn't going to miss it. Sure he was supposed to be in school but that didn't matter. His mom was going to a meeting with her wicked sister. He didn't care how much trouble he would be in. He was going to protect her.

"Hey Kid, what are you doing here?"

 _Busted_ , Henry thought.

He turned an innocent look his birth mother's way, grin wide and innocent. Emma's green eyes narrowed and he knew he was done for. He quickly looked towards Zelena and catalogued her every move. He kept his eyes glued to the wicked redhead even when his birth mother sat down beside him.

"Henry," Emma said, "You need to stop skipping school."

The young author looked away long enough to glare at the blonde. He then turned back to watching his evil aunt like a hawk. Nothing was going to get past him, not even Ruby and Zelena sharing words as if they were friends. He frowned at that.

"Aye lad, your other mother will kill us if you don't leave now."

Henry didn't even acknowledge the pirate. He simply took note of the silver hooked hand as it gently moved through the air. Apparently they decided to surround him on both sides.

"Henry nothing is going to happen to Regina," Emma said, "That's what I'm here for."

A pang of guilt shot through him immediately. His birth mother was the savior and as the author he was supposed to trust her to do her job. He was also only supposed to write the stories not interfere, of course that ship sailed a long time ago but whatever.

The teen's eyes wandered as he was hit with yet another lecture on the importance of being honest and staying in school. It wasn't that he didn't understand he was grounded by both mothers until the end of time. He just couldn't stop this constant fear of yet another chink being thrown into their family's armor.

It was as these thoughts and fear consumed him that the author's green eyes fell to the sisters in the booth across from him. The two were sharing a few pleasantries and Ruby was taking their order as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening and the thick tension was thinning with every smile shared between the two.

"See kid," Emma said, "No need to worry. Everything's under control."

"Aye now let's get you out of here before your other mother decides to look over," Hook said.

The pirate was almost successful in getting the teen out of his chair. In fact, a book bag was already slung over his shoulder and one foot was planted to the ground. But a strange glint caught the corner of the author's eye. He turned and noticed Regina's glass of water rising in the air. Henry watched in silent horror as the clear liquid took on a vermilion hue before entering his mother's mouth.

"No," Henry screamed.

He rushed to his mother's side in an instant already too late.

"What did you do?" he said, "What did you put in my mother's drink?"

The witch gave him a kind of innocent smile but no answer. A few garbled responses and a widening of her pale green eyes were all she had to offer. A slight pink tinted her cheeks. But it was the way her hands shot away from the table that showed her guilt.

"Henry this isn't the time," his mother growled.

It was already too late. The entire breakfast crowd of Granny's Diner was fully invested in this new saga of the Mill's family. The usual hustle and bustle was gone. Eyes were pointing from every direction, but nobody dared move.

It was Emma Swan who stepped forward. She violently forced the witch back with her magic ignoring the queen's cries of protest on her sister's behalf. Instead she took the queen's already drained glass and inspected it. The glass took on a strange blue glow before returning its crystal appearance.

"Magic," Emma said it as a curse.

She was none too gentle as she pulled the witch from her chair.

"What did you do?" She asked.

"Nothing," was Zelena's only reply.

This time it was the queen who took the glass. She brought it to her nose and sniffed. She waved her left hand over the crystal, hoping to divulge what kind of spell was present. Chocolate eyes blinked before turning to the savior in confusion.

"It's just water," she said.

Her chocolate eyes narrowed. She turned towards the witch, her sister, in question. The glass was slammed down on the table before her. A well-manicured nail pointed into the glass's tip.

"What is it, sis?" She said.

Zelena's face grew pale. Her pale green eyes turned red-rimmed. She pushed against the savior's magic only to scream out in pain a moment later. Her red curls shook violently. Her lower lip trembled as she spoke.

"You have to believe me, Regina. I would never hurt you again. I've learned my lesson!"

"Then what did you put in my drink?" The queen snarled.

Even Henry winced at his mother's tone. There was darkness there. She sounded more like the Evil Queen she used to be instead of the strong mayor and hero she'd become. But there was nothing but devastation in her eyes.

"Just tell me the truth," she begged.

Still her sister remained quiet.

Henry watched in horror as the lights began to flicker above. A new charge filled the air. The hairs on the back of the teen's neck slowly began to rise to attention at its beckoning call.

"After everything you've done," Regina said.

The coffee maker began to spark behind Granny. Three of the seven dwarves were stung by an electric current. The lights flickered a bit more violently, blinking on and off in quick succession.

"Why?" Regina asked, "Why can't you let us be a family?"

"We are," the witch said.

The queen unleashed quite the unearthly chuckle. The windows began to shake. No, Henry noticed, the earth itself began to quake. Cracks appeared in the diner walls. Appliances sprang to life at the highest speeds.

"No," Regina said, "Now you're an enemy."

The lights were sparking. Cell phones were buzzing. Appliances refused to die even unplugged.

"And I always destroy my enemies."

The queen's arms moved forward with magical intentions. The witch braced herself for attack. The entirety of Granny's inhaled one deep fearful breath.

Suddenly everything stopped.

No sound came. All lights went out. Sparking, whirring devices fell to their doom off the counters and out of pockets.

Everything just stopped.

It was a deep seated fear that forced Henry's hand. He turned slowly to his left. Zelena still stood before the queen unharmed. The savior's green eyed gaze turned to Hook. The confusion on the pirate captain's face said it all.

What was supposed to happen?

The rest was a slow fall of time. Zelena's pale green eyes blew wide. Her ivory hands reached forward, twin claws on the horizon. Her lips pulled back into a silent scream.

It was the pirate who moved next. His head bent low as a signal to his true love. The savior in turn pelted forward, arms pumping at a right angle to her chest. Together they latched onto the screaming witch's arms stopping her from whatever further harm she wished to bestow.

Henry's slow mind took too long to register his mother's reaction. The queen's face turned dangerously pale. Her arms fell to the side as limp noodles. There was just enough time for confusion to mar Regina's features. Then chocolate eyes rolled back. Her body turned slack.

The queen collapsed.

Just as slowly as everything happened, the aftermath was twice as fast. Prince Charming came to the rescue without a moment to lose. He caught the queen, cushioning her head from the hard tiled floor. His hands went straight to her neck in search of a pulse.

Henry too breathed a sigh of relief at his grandfather's relieved expression.

"Get Dr. Whale," Charming called.

Doctor Frankenstein read his mind. He was there, his sandy hair slicked back and his hands already carrying the medical bag that rarely left his person. He was taking the queen's vitals and shaking his head all the while.

"She needs to get to the hospital," Frankenstein said, "Whatever this is… it's medical."

Charming wasted no time. He pulled the limp queen into his big strong arms. His blue eyes momentarily glared deadly holes into the wicked witch's steady stare before he left with the good doctor. Emma and Hook had the culprit pinned between them, twin guards on either flank. Henry followed them with his finger already dialing on his phone.

"I'll call Robin," he said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma Swan had every intention of interrogating the pawnbroker further. She even opened her mouth to snarl more words of anger and hate. But, as always happened when she was on the verge of darkness, someone else decided to have their say.

It began with a sudden vibrant heat that filled the whole room. Sweat poured from all spots in a matter of seconds. The few wax figures left alive began to melt as if in direct contact to the sun. Chipped and charred paint started peeling from the walls.

The magic didn't end there. Emma could feel its sweltering heat swirling around under her skin. The pawnshop acted like an oven on full blast. The savior had to close her eyes and heavily concentrate just to create a tiny sliver of cool air. She opened the door and everyone rushed out.

Clip. Clip. Clop. Clop.

The sound reverberated off the streets of Storybrooke in such quick succession.

Clip. Clip. Clop. Clop.

The hoof-beats were right on top of each other.

Clip. Clip. Clop. Clop.

The thunderous sound of wheels chose then to make their presence known. And with the creak of wooden wheels, came the carriage and horses attached to it.

Clip. Clip. Clop. Clop.

The horses were beauties to behold. Their black hair was twisted in a magnificent do. Their tails were even braided to join the intricate plates of their manes in the middle of their backs. Purple lilies and red roses peeked out wherever a gap was meant to be.

A carriage of pure onyx peeled on by and with it a monstrous impulse to follow. If Emma hadn't had magic she wouldn't have been able to recognize the signs. It was indeed magic that was forcing their hand, strong familiar magic.

The raging fire of white hot rage pushed everyone forward in eager anticipation. Not a single citizen of Storybrooke was sheltered from the pulse. No the rider wanted everyone to see their entrance and everyone had no say in the matter.

Hundreds followed the black onyx carriage all the way to Granny's, where a small crowd had already formed. The carriage stopped just at the fence. The evil arms of magic pushed onto the spines of every citizen available. Suddenly all bodies were bent low in an elegant bow.

The carriage door flew open, distracting Emma from the magic's tight grip. She and a few others rose back to full height. It was only with a miserable groan that the savior realized it was those with royal blood who stood tall while the peasants and nobles were forced to the ground.

"Bow down peasants," a familiar teasing voice asked, "Yes, bow down to the Evil Queen."

And Evil Queen she was indeed. The woman who stepped out resembled nothing of the Storybrooke Mayor. Her long raven locks were tucked away into an elaborate up-do, layers and layers of curls twisted and twirled into a harsh entanglement at the front of her head and twin pom-poms in the back. Red rubies sparkled between the plaited locks.

Her cheeks were colored in that same ruby red, a sharp contrast to the sickly white pallor of her skin. Black shadow surrounded her chocolate eyes in a harsh shadow. Painted red lips pulled back into an amused sneer as she took in her bowing crowd.

Emma kept fighting at the white hot blaze of magic on her back. She concentrated and focused all of her energy on the attack. A cool sensation filled where flames once scorched. She rose with a proud smirk, only to discover all royals of the Enchanted Forest were equally standing tall.

"Come along," Regina said, "We have much to discuss."

The queen led the way into the diner and the few royal allies she once held followed willingly behind. Robin, Killian and Emma were left to stare in confusion. The sheriff and deputy silently discussed what to expect when entering the diner's safety.

"Might as well go in," Killian said, "and see what she wants."

The deputy was the first to take a stroll into the diner. The other royals watched in confusion and concern. All other citizens of Storybrooke, denizens of every curse who were not of royal blood by any means stooped low in their bow unable to move.

"Why can he-?" Someone began.

"I'll explain later," she promised.

She tried not to wince too much as she followed the queen into the diner. Her memories were still piecing themselves together and she knew people had the right to know the truth. But the timing was once again against them.

There was no better proof of that than when the heroes entered the diner. Granny; grey hair still in its perfect curls and glasses still perfectly positioned on her nose, stood just in front of the counter. A dish rag hanged limp from her apron's waist while a plate of her famous fish fry sandwich lay to waste on the diner's tiled floor. All six of the seven dwarves not turned into a tree stood proud from their stools in the counter. Ruby and Dorothy were squashed away near the back, Ruby quietly pushing her true love into the back for safety.

"Oh don't worry dear," Regina said.

She waved her hand and Emma felt the suffocation begin. She knew the doors to the diner locked. The open archway from kitchen to restaurant sealed with purple magic. Dorothy let out a horrified gasp when she received a sharp shock for her almost escape.

"Let's stay and have a little chat," Regina gave an eerie smile.

Emma stepped forward. Her hands flew to the air when the mayor's dark gaze fell on her. The sneer on her lips was nothing compared to the paleness of her skin.

Now that she was closer observation was far easier and so much more terrifying. Emma could see that every step Regina took was forced and staggered. Her fingers continued to flex in and out in erratic rhythms. Tiny red divots of fingertips shined when the mayor's palms were visible. A slight shake took hold when Regina reached out to touch the sheriff even for a moment.

"My master has a very simple demand," Regina said.

All eyes turned to her in eager anticipation. Some royals; King George, King Ancilotto, and Queen Catherine, former allies of the Evil Queen, were more than ready to jump into bed with whomever controlled the new Dark One now. Others and that was the majority of people present, wished only to know who this new master was to set Regina free.

"A newcomer has found his way to Storybrooke," Regina said, "he came in a Mercedes Benz at exactly midnight last night. He has yet to check into Granny's Bed and Breakfast but it is only a matter of time before he is discovered."

Emma's heart dropped.

"What about him?" District Attorney Albert Spencer asked, King George in the Enchanted Forest.

"I'm not talking to you!" Regina spat to the man.

Her eyes turned purple with her anger's rise. She stepped towards him threateningly, her former ally. Disgust was so plainly written on her features as she took in the coward of a man.

Spencer had lost weight since last they met. His clothes were fringed and threadbare instead of the elaborate silks they once were. No crown sat on his head but still he held his regal demeanor. He tucked his chin down low and still managed to have twin eyes of coal.

"Regina-" he began.

She flipped like a switch. Her calm exterior fled. Her eyes burned bright with purple hues. Her right hand rose into the air and formed a perfect sideways 'c'. Spencer fell with his arms wrestling the invisible strings of magic, fighting to breathe and save his own miserable life.

"It's your majesty," the queen hissed.

"Regina!"

The voice called out and the mayor returned. Her purple eyes fell away to chocolate once more. A childlike look of guilt filled her features. Her blood red lips softened to a rosier hue. Her porcelain skin grew olive in complexion. Embarrassment colored her cheeks instead of stark rouge.

"Robin," she said.

The whisper of her voice was a harsh contrast to her own shouting moments before. Her chocolate orbs flittered around the diner as if just realizing her own location. Still the mayor of Storybrooke ignored the choking man at her feet. Only one man held her gaze.

Robin Hood stepped forward, ready to receive her in his arms once more. He was far too eager from the looks of it. He almost had her in his grasp before the air turned cool once more.

"Stay away from me!" Regina screamed.

Her magic did the rest. The outlaw fell back as if stung by some horrific beast. He was pinned to the wall and unable to move. Killian moved as if to assist him in his struggles but he too fell victim to a giant glassy purple wall.

"Your tricks won't work, Ms. Swan!" Regina said, "I am much too strong for that."

Killian was unharmed and confused. The dwarves grouped together as if planning their own revenge. The few royals still unsure of themselves sat down with no further clue what to do. The diner was on the brink of pandemonium and no one seemed willing to break the odd fog of confusion just yet.

"What do you want?" Emma asked.

"My master's instructions were very clear," Regina said, "should you obey, no harm will come to you or your precious little… plebeians."

The last word came out stuttered. The mayor's own lips betrayed her as did the rest of her steps. Every move, every minor calculation was stinted and stunned in some form or another. She looked like a puppet on its strings, fighting to break free and not powerful enough to do so.

"What do you want?" Emma asked again.

"Daniel Swan," Regina said.

The diner itself gasped in confusion, soft murmurings and musings moved through the air. But there were four who understood the mayor's words. Regina's master wanted the one person they were unable to give.

"No," Emma said.

Regina laughed. There was no mirth, no happiness. She simply laughed as a way to relieve herself of building tension. An odd note of madness etched itself upon her painted face. A single tear, a defiant tear fell down her left cheek.

"You misunderstand," she said.

The mayor stepped forward, elegant skirt swaying violently with her movements. She reached the dwarves and delivered her news with bitterness and contempt. It was her hand that reached into the chest of the pharmacist, Mr. Clarke. And from his chest she removed his pulsing, beating red heart.

"Bring me Daniel Swan," she said, "In this very diner by sunset."

Regina stepped forward again, compelled to do so by her own master's sick hand. She held Mr. Clarke's heart hard in her hands and raised it so everyone could see it pulsing widely in her grasp.

Her fingers pushed in until there was nothing left but dust.

"Or I will kill everyone."

The mayor shook as the heart turned to ash. She was careful to scoop it close to her own beating organ. Her chocolate eyes blazed with fear and disgust. She clung to Mr. Clarke's ashes as if it were her own life she held in such a tight fist.

For a moment Regina's chocolate gaze turned to her soulmate. A hint of longing, lust and heartache fell upon her features. She let that motivate her away from the on-looking crowd of peasants and royals. Her left foot ungraciously kicked out at Albert Spencer's still sputtering form.

The sweeping skirts and tight-fitted corset of the mayor froze at the now dead form of Mr. Clarke the pharmacist. She was gentle as she poured the ashes over his immobile chest. Even her face was filled with remorse as she spread the ashes like a mother would caress her child.

The sadness of loss splintered away the moment she returned to her captive audience.

"Until sunset, Ms. Swan," she said.

She rushed towards the door with the grace and poise of a queen. Though her steps faltered and her posture forced itself to straighten as she struggled for the door. It was Leroy who gained the mayor's full attention.

Regina turned to him sadness once again dominating her once imperious gaze. Her arms shook at her sides, tiny fists drawing droplets of blood appearing and disappearing from view. She seemed to struggle just to speak the few words she could.

"I am not allowed to apologize," she said.

The mayor left with the flourish better associated with her Enchanted Forest counterpart. A simple flick of her wrist and the black horses at the head of carriage turned into four scrambling men. Regina entered her black iron and onyx cage without a backwards glance. Yet another movement of her hand and the carriage pulled forward on its own until it was enveloped in a black mulberry smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The hospital waiting room was just blossoming with tension. Henry couldn't help but shoot daggers towards the culprit responsible. His Aunt Zelena, the wicked witch, was ashen in her already ivory complexion. Her pale green eyes were red-rimmed and her bottom lip kept popping in and out from beneath her teeth.

Hook and Emma stood on either side of her. Neither one was willing to leave her side should she so much as sneeze in the queen's direction. Prince Charming stood guard at the door, his sword gleamed as it stood upon his shoulders. Snow White sat in her chair choosing not to lean or hover as the rest of their small group did. Her green eyes were focused solely on the reason they were there.

The soft beeping in the air signaled the queen was still in the world of the living though her prone form suggested nothing of the sort. She was whiter than the thin scratchy sheets she lay upon. Her once red lips now held a strange blue tint that the I.V.'s pumping into her seemed unable to cure.

Her husband and soulmate Robin Hood sat with his hand glued to her own. His head rested gently next to her left ear. The ever constant movement of his lips suggested whisperings of love and all they had left to live.

The young author observed all of this with fear heavy in his stomach. The only blessing left to him was the simple fact that his little brother wasn't here to witness the chaos. Unlike his big brother, Roland had gone away to school blissfully unaware that their mother lay in a hospital bed because of their despicably wicked aunt.

"What spell did you use?" Emma asked.

Her voice was a cold growl. The savior's hatred was obvious to even untrained ears. Her green eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as she stared at her enemy.

Still the wicked witch seemed immune or in her own little world. Zelena's mossy gaze fell to her little sister and as it did her fare skin turned impossibly paler. Her mouth opened as if to emit sound, but nothing ever came out.

The savior found that response insulting. She kicked off the wall she seemed glued to and latched both arms onto the witch's shoulders. Zelena didn't even jump. The redhead simply stared blankly into the blonde's screaming face.

"What did you do to her?" Emma said.

"That's enough love," Killian said.

His hook grabbed her left wrist and gently pried it away from the immobile witch. His right hand was gentle as he pulled the blonde into his arms. He kissed her hair and gently cradled her against his chest.

"Roland," Robin cried, "I need to get Roland. He needs to know…"

Snow picked that moment to move. She stood up, her green eyes shooting to the wicked witch with pointed warning towards her beloved husband. Prince Charming took that as an invitation to swing his sword down ever so slowly.

"We called Little John," Snow said, "Don't worry. He's getting him from school and taking him to the camp for the night. He's sending Will to pick up Henry even as we speak."

"I'm not going anywhere," Henry replied.

He probably sounded like a stubborn child. He knew he looked like one. But this was his mom and he wasn't just going to sit by while his wicked aunt remained silent.

So the young author turned towards the woman he now hated most of all. He scowled at the blank look on her ivory features. The wicked witch looked more distraught than they were and she had no right. This was her fault.

"Now Zelena," and the teen couldn't help but spit his aunt's name in disgust.

"What did you do to my mother?"

Pale green eyes turned to him, red-rimmed and filled with so much hopeless despair. The curled red hair lacked its usual luster. Even her pink lips puckered and wobbled in silent misery. Still somehow Zelena found strength to answer.

"It was part of the deal," she said.

Henry's heart stopped at the news. He closed his eyes and briefly gambled the cost of killing his own grandfather. Yes, there was only one man in all of Storybrooke who would make such a horrendous deal. Rumpelstiltskin was behind this.

"What did Gold want?" Emma asked.

Her voice was still filled with hate. It practically boomed through the quiet room despite it being a mere whisper of words. The savior didn't even have to move to cause the witch to flinch. Her words were blows enough of their own.

"It was the only way I could guarantee I wouldn't kill her," Zelena said, "I went to Rumpelstiltskin and asked him to place a protection spell on her, one that would make certain no matter what I did would fail to do the job. I was taking a forgetting potion I had to be certain I wasn't taking it for nothing."

She sounded desperate now. The tears poured from her eyes and she seemed unable to care. She barely blinked them away. Somehow she found her way to her knees. Her hands stretched out and gripped at the hem of Henry's shirt. Her pale green eyes were staring pleadingly up at him.

"He said he would insure your family's safety but the price was steep," she said, "I had to grab water from the well and give it to your mother every day as often as I saw her. I even grabbed that werewolf's heart to ensure she never went a day without it."

Her pale gaze turned away then. It latched onto her sister's prone form and wouldn't let go. Her arms fell limp at her sides and she took on the haze of a purely tortured soul.

"He said it was our only hope."

Henry had many words for his aunt. Not a one of them was pleasant or kind. He only had hate in his heart and feared unleashing them from his tongue. So he bit his cheek and tried to suppress a huff of disgust.

"The well?" Emma asked, "What's so special about the water from the well?"

But the savior's question would remain unanswered, for just as Snow White was about to deliver her reply Doctor Frankenstein appeared. He walked briskly through the clear glass door and stood before them with a thick chart in his hands. His crystal gaze was blown wide.

He opened his mouth to speak his piece.

"Henry?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma's nerves were fried. Her best friend was now on a murderous rampage. The entire town was once again under the dark curse. She and her boyfriend… well she and Killian now remembered everything.

And she had to lie to the entire town about not knowing who Daniel Swan was.

Emma Swan was not having a very good week. It was almost pointless to even point that out at this point. All she wanted to do was go home and have herself a nice lie down. She didn't want to hear about curses or lost loved ones. She didn't want people demanding lives or threatening to take their chances with the townline. She just wanted some rest.

She should have expected to not get that at her own house.

When she opened the door pandemonium was there to greet her. The sweet scent of apples and cinnamon filled the air. Her table was laden with various tarts and pastries. Two apple pies sat cooling in the windowsill. The ticking of a timer reverberated from the kitchen.

"Dad!" Emma yelled.

David Nolan appeared with a scone in his mouth. He looked guilt as he struggled to scarf the sweet treat down. But the crumbs on his shirt definitely gave him away.

"You let her bake," Emma cried.

His guilty expression grew shadowed with betrayal and hurt. He violently shook his head as he continued to struggle finishing his scone. He pointed to the basement door, tattered smithereens on the foyer floor.

"She poofed me out of her way," he said, "She was already mixing the batter for a pie crust when I finally got out. She started working on the beignets when you pulled up."

"Oh bloody hell," Killian cried.

Robin too wore a cringe on his features. He was careful as he stepped into the impromptu bakery. His head shook and his hands found home on his fist.

"Just like her mother," he said.

"This is worse than the baking war of year thirteen," Killian surmised.

Emma had to agree. There wasn't a spot in her house that didn't have a pastry of some sort on its hard surface. The sheriff supposed magic had a hand because she distinctly remembered leaving the house with one oven, not four. And she definitely did not have room for a double sink let alone an entire kitchen island.

In fact her furniture looked a little expensive and super new.

"You remodeled my house!" Emma said.

Odette didn't even have the courtesy to look offended. She just kept spinning her whisk while staring at the recipe book, like she even needed that. She snapped her fingers and the saffron she apparently needed appeared in her hand. She added it to the mixture and sighed.

"Uncle David wouldn't let me bake at his house," she said by way of greeting.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you were Regina's daughter," David said.

He had already picked up another scone and offered a tart to Killian. The deputy politely declined the offer. Emma smiled knowingly. The baking war had definitely had its causalities. Even Roland and Henry couldn't stomach some of their old favorites.

"Oh bloody hell," Robin sighed, "she made apple turnovers."

"It's worse than the baking war of year thirteen," Killian replied.

"Baking war?" David asked.

Emma shook her head. Her father did not need to remember that right now. Instead she, as godmother, needed to calm down the young woman before she broke out the pasta maker.

"Odette," she said.

"No!" The girl reply, "My mother is the Dark One. And Gold is alive which is practically impossible."

"It gets worse," Emma sighed.

Odette stopped mixing immediately. She stared at the older woman in complete and utter horror. Her jaw was slacked open and a bit of batter spilled onto the countertop.

The sound of footsteps stopped the sheriff from further explanation. Before Emma could even dare look up, giant arms and a thick body barreled into her. The familiar scent of cinnamon and parchment filled her lungs. Her arms wrapped around the bigger form with glee.

"Henry," she said.

Her son smiled as he pulled away. His hair was cropped short now. It was slicked back casually and upon his shoulders was not the usual scarf and pea coat set. Now he wore a simple three piece suit and penny loafers of Italian leather. His chin was covered in a five o'clock shadow, a nicely trimmed scruff that hinted of his step-fathers' influences.

"Mom," he said, "It's been too long."

"You just saw me last night kid," Emma replied.

Her son's brown eyes were now deep chestnut color. His once chubby cheeks were now thinned into a sharp chiseled chin. His broad shoulders seemed to take over the room. Still that same cheesy smile of belief and faith in pixie dust remained.

"It's good to be home," Henry said.

"Well don't get too used to it," Killian said, "because you're packing your bags immediately."

Odette's whisk began to glow a bright white before melting into the very batter she stirred. Oblivious to her own reaction the batter mixed of its own accord, the molten metal right along with it. The batter began bubbling soon after, a harsh bubbling crude that only seemed to increase in its intensity.

Crackle, crackle, bang… pop!

The batter spattered and sputtered over everything and everyone. Raven hair was caked in soft peach colored batter. Blonde locks had white strewn throughout. The kitchen itself was now a mess.

"No worries, little duck," Emma said, "Uncle Hook isn't kicking anyone out just yet."

"Like hell I'm not," Killian said, "you heard what Regina said. Her master wants Daniel Swan and we cannot let that madman have him."

"You saw mom?" Henry asked.

There was a slight twitch to the corners of his mouth. He looked as though he wanted to smile but couldn't quite bear it. He was hesitant to hope, hesitant to dream. Emma felt a twinge of panic and sadness as she stared at her son's wavering grin. The heart of the truest believer was at risk of losing his belief.

"Yes," Robin said, "and Rothbart wants you. Do you have any idea why that is?"

"I'm the author," Henry said, "What else could he want?"

 _He wants Henry to write his happy ending_ , Emma thought.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Robin, what's going on?"

It was the queen's voice. Henry had never felt such wonderful relief in his life. He turned around only to find his stepfather kissing every inch of his mother's face. Regina still looked far too pale, but she was awake and that was enough.

"Regina," Robin cried as he kissed her and kissed her.

There were tears falling down his cheek. His blonde scruff looked odd as the droplets tried to contort and twist around their bristled path. Henry could have watched that forever and still never understand the strength it took to ignore everyone in the room.

The teen then found himself propelled forward without realizing it. He was already in his mother's arms by the time his movements were known. Regina was squeezing him back with so much fervor in return.

"I'm alright," she whispered.

Henry almost cried at that. His throat became painful. Something hard was prickling at his eyes. He could do nothing more than squeeze his mother tighter and fight off the pain of his almost loss.

"We thought she killed you," he cried.

His mother simply kissed him and said nothing else. She pulled him tight into her embrace and muttered sweet nothings into his ear. She even wiped away at his cheeks to keep the emotions at bay.

"I'm alright, my sweet prince," she said.

"Not exactly," Frankenstein said.

The good doctor became the center of attention immediately. Emma stepped forward as if to provide him physical harm. Hook jumped forward to either stop her or join in. Charming's sword gave a loud thwack on the hospital tiles. Snow White's pale complexion turned snowier.

It was Robin's reaction Henry noticed out of the corner of his eye. The outlaw's hand entwined with his mother's. A stark contrast of olive and white played until white knuckles ruled. A lion tattoo started to glow blue.

"I'm not exactly sure how to explain this," Frankenstein said, "but I've done every test I could to make certain of the results…."

He looked shocked, confused even. His white blonde hair stood in disarray. His jaw hung loose as if unable to ever close again. His cheeks were even flushed suggesting an increase in heartrate. Whatever news he brought was not what the good doctor was expecting.

"I've quadruple checked everything," Frankenstein said, "Despite the impossibility every test has come back positive and I… I don't know how because this shouldn't be-"

"How long do we have to stop the poison?" Snow asked, "Is it a day? Hours?"

"Weeks?" Emma finished.

Henry couldn't help but note she looked torn just speaking the word. There was the thrill of time on their hands countered with the slow and painful death planned for Regina. The young author slowly wondered if his grandfather would dare make a poison that would last for months.

Rumpelstiltskin loved to dangle hope in front of his victims and watch them whither when that hope was crushed.

"It's not poison," Frankenstein said, "That's why I am so confused."

He looked it too. His crystal gaze kept darting back and forth from clipboard to queen. His jaw snapped open and shut too many times to count. Even the words stuttering out didn't make any sense.

"I mean she's… but that's… and we…"

"Is it a curse?" Emma asked, "I know Gold has something that can take away her memories. Do you think he's trying to bring back the Evil Queen again?"

"Ugh please I can't live through that again," the witch rolled her eyes.

Prince Charming turned on a dime. His sword came up to the witch's neck and pressed none too gently if her hiss was anything to go by. He sneered as he towered over her. His usually kind face was filled with anger, hate and disgust.

"Whatever this is," he said, "is your fault."

"I told you at the diner it's not magical," Frankenstein said, "It's medical. I just can't believe I'm having this conversation in front of all of you and not waking up to a world in total chaos-"

He was rambling again. Henry wanted to whack him upside the head and just get answers. He wasn't sure which mom he got that urge from but he knew patience was a virtue in this situation. Whatever the reason, Victor Frankenstein was in shock of Queen Regina's results.

"Just spit it out Whale!" Regina huffed, "Am I dying or worse?"

"You're not dying," Victor said.

His words snapped the tension for just a moment. Sighs of relief escaped all mouths. Snow White sagged into her chair. Emma stood slightly less tense in Hook's arm. The pirate's jaw loosened momentarily. Charming's sword pulled away from the witch's throat.

Zelena's pale green eyes disappeared behind closed lids. A single tear fell from her right eye. Henry's urge to kill her slithered away; along with the tear-staining track on her cheek.

And Robin Hood fell into the queen's neck and breathed her in.

"Regina," the good doctor said, "You're pregnant."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"How?" Odette asked.

She was pacing. Her boots clicked hard on the linoleum floor of Emma's house. Her arms were crossed against her chest, elbows pinched close to her sides and fingers curled into her forearms. Her ponytail flickered sharply as she turned.

"He wants you out," Robin said.

"He can't kill you so he's targeting your brothers," Emma said, "It's how he plans on getting you out of town."

"He wants Regina all to himself," Killian growled.

His right hand squeezed into a tight fist making his fingers chalk white. Emma had to work hard to peel his fingers loose. Her hand took over and gave a gentle squeeze. The relief from his rigid form took over completely.

"What if I challenge him?" Odette asked, "I could force him into a duel in front of everyone. Maybe that will get people to believe."

Henry shook his head.

"No," he said, "That would only make things worse for Mom."

"Wait," David said, "What does Rothbart want with Regina?"

Killian and the kids groaned. Robin's fingers sparked with white hot light. Emma herself had to pinch the bridge of her nose to fight off that impending headache.

"Anything he wants from her he will never get," Robin snarled.

"We don't have time to explain, Gramps," Henry said, "just know that it's not good."

"And the longer Rothbart has Regina's dagger, the harder it will be to save her from the darkness when this is all over," Killian said.

"We need to break this curse," Emma said, "It's the only way to bring this family back together again."

"Which means Henry has to go to that meeting," Roland sighed.

The thief bowed his head low in defeat. His brown eyes turned black with hate. It was now his hands that curled into chalk white fists.

"What about the Blue Fairy?" David asked, "Surely she and the other fairies could provide some help."

"Yeah if Rothbart doesn't have the moths in his pocket," Odette said, "You forget that here you all live by his rules. He's the one in charge. He's the-"

"He's the Dark King," Henry finished.

Emma sighed. This wasn't working. They were too far behind even with all the facts. Leaving David out of the equation was necessary for their protection but keeping her father out of the loop meant he wouldn't be able to properly help with their plans.

They needed something else, something drastic.

"What if Henry does go to meet Regina?" Emma asked.

The room filled with a suffocating silence. Brown and bright blue eyes stared straight at the sheriff with twin looks of horror. Apparently neither sibling wanted to put their big brother up for auction.

"I'm not saying we hand him over," she explained, "but we might be able to expose Rothbart."

"Bring about the belief," Henry said.

"Get the people of Storybrooke to trust us!" Odette said, "and turn on him."

The devilish grin on her reflected her mother perfectly. Even the young men raised by the mayor held that same evil sparkle in their tightening jaws and happy lips. If Emma wasn't sharing in the look so much, she'd have probably been worried.

"And if Regina sees Henry," Robin added, "She'll have hope again."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

There was no explosion. No violent remarks about ludicrous doctors and too much lightning bolts to the head were ever spoken. There was only the stunned silence of a family on the brink of another war.

"What?"

The question flew from the savior's lips. It was a stuttered out cough of shock. She had felled her full weight into Hook's embrace, both staring at the doctor slack-jawed. The couple leaned heavily on the wall to support their own confusion.

Henry turned away from his birth mother and her true love just to earn some answers from his grandparents. He found no such luck or explanation there. David's blue eyes were opened wide with fear, his sword swing precariously close to the wicked witch's throat. Zelena in turn looked stunned speechless and there was a hint of blush on her cheeks that hinted at guilt.

It was Snow White who looked the most traumatized. Two sparkling crystals fell from her green eyes. Her shoulders slumped forward. Her skin was white as chalk. Breathing became a labored affair and her gaze never once faltered from that of a startled deer staring dead into the eyes of headlights in defiant fear. Her gaze never left that of the queen her former stepmother.

"That's not possible," Regina said.

She and Robin were ghosts in the room, spectral observers with no voice or way of communicating. They watched as a heated volley of emotions scoured the good Doctor Frankenstein's face. First anger dared to grace his expression so quickly followed by understanding and empathy. He passed right by guilt and instead headed straight for calm acceptance. He stared between the queen and the thief in utter awe.

"I know you believe that," Frankenstein said, "but the facts, statistics and every single test I've done suggests otherwise. And…"

He pulled from his pocket a tiny square paper about four inches by 3 inches give or take. It glistened softly under the florescent lights. The tones on the page were nothing but black and white, barely any signs of grey. He stretched it forward to the gasps of all in the room.

"An ultrasound doesn't lie," he said.

The doctor held the tiny photo out as if holding a summons of peace or some other mediocre dignitary document. Nobody moved to take it from him but still he extended his hand as if urging for belief. It was then the teenager noticed the slight glistening in his bright icicle eyes.

Henry grabbed the frail piece of paper staring at the image of white lines stark against the vibrant black. A tiny grey pea laid to the right. The teen stared at it hard his unfamiliarity with a sonogram becoming a hindrance. He turned towards his birth mother in search of an answer.

The savior latched onto the paper almost splitting it with her force. She stared at it in first confusion then with a sense of awe. Her mouth opened and her eyes glistened. She turned towards the queen. A tiny nod of confirmation tilted the world.

"No," Regina said, "That's impossible."

She shook her head. She sat up as much as the wires and I.V.'s would allow. Robin Hood's firm grasp was the only thing keeping her from jumping out of the bed in that moment. Something akin to despair and true fear developed on his adoptive mother's face.

"I took a potion," the queen explained, "It's an unbreakable curse, Emma!"

Still the savior's answer was undeterred. She walked slowly to the trembling woman and presented her with the evidence that couldn't be fooled. Her voice was quiet as she explained the significance of the tiny pea Henry had observed. She told what the numbers meant and exactly how far along she truly was.

"No," Regina replied, "You're wrong. Zelena put you up to this. She must have."

"No, Regina," the wicked witch replied, "I swore I would never hurt you again. Gold said-"

"Gold," Regina snarled at the name, "I should have known he was behind this."

"It was part of the deal to keep you safe," Zelena cried, "I swear if I had known he was going to harm you like this I never would have agreed to it. I would have come up with a better way, please!"

The rest of her cries were drowned out by Charming's sword. He pressed it against her throat and kept her glued to her chair, her head tilted at none too pleasant an angle. He leaned down to loom over his intended victim and force silence upon her.

"What's so important about the well?" He cried, "Why would Gold want Regina to drink it?"

The answer came but not from the red haired witch. Snow White let out a gasp and stood to full height. Her green eyes were blown wide and shining in merriment. There was even a small smile striking her beautiful porcelain face.

"Lake Nostos," she said.

Her beloved husband was the only one who seemed to understand the statement. He tilted his head to the side and almost looked on the verge of smiling. Everyone else, young Henry included looked on at the princess with varying degrees of confusion and skepticism.

"Emma," Snow said, "Remember how we got back from the Enchanted Forest… just shortly after the first curse was broken?"

Emma gave her a hesitant nod in reply.

"Cora… the first Cora," Snow said, "she used her magic to bring up the water from Lake Nostos to make the ash of the wardrobe into a portal, right?"

"Right," Emma agreed.

"And where did that portal lead us?" Snow pressed.

The blonde looked around the room uncomfortably. She shrugged her shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh. Her reply was exactly as everyone remembered.

"It brought us to the well but that doesn't necessarily explain how it broke through an unbreakable curse."

"Because I had that curse," Snow said.

The resounding echoes of shock were thrown from everyone. Even the wicked witch looked on in confusion no doubt calculating the two children birthed from the woman of snow. But Henry couldn't fight his own smile now. He remembered the story. He read it in his book and now he was living it.

"But then Great Grandma Ruth tricked you into drinking the little water you had left," he said, "So you could have a baby and she could live on through her grandchildren."

"Wait," Emma said, "you're saying I almost wasn't born?"

Prince Charming too looked on in a state of shock. His mouth was blown wide open. His complexion had paled a bit since their conversation began. It was only then that Henry remembered the key part of the tale. Lancelot and Snow never told him the truth.

"No," Regina cried, "that can't be-"

"Lake Nostos has the ability to bring back what was once taken," Charming said, "and you think that's why Gold wanted Zelena to give her water from the well?"

It was Emma's reaction that sold the theory. Her green eyes turned hard as steel. She grabbed her mother and father, Henry too though that was unintentional. Together the three were thrust into the hallway while the queen and the outlaw were forced to swallow the new sense of danger.

"That's exactly what he was doing," Emma said.

And before Henry could even dare ask what she was talking about, the small group was swallowed by a thick white smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The citizens of Storybrooke were gathered at the diner by sunset without delay. Some of the more vicious spectators were shouting out begging for Granny to shove out her newest tenant, a tenant not even there for room and board.

In order to ensure the ruse remained Emma and the others agreed that sending Henry to Granny's under his assumed alias would serve them well. Rothbart would believe the sheriffs and deputy were still under his thumb. And the citizens of Storybrooke would work as an involuntary shield between Regina and her son.

The hard part would be later, when facing the new Dark One and getting her to believe in hope again.

"Okay," Emma said as she stared at her family, "Granny is keeping the town at bay with her lasagna but we all know the distraction won't last long. Henry, are you sure you want to stick with the plan?"

The young man before her gave her a cheeky grin in return. He walked towards her, placing a steady calming hand on her shoulder. With a quick squeeze and a kiss to her cheek, Henry Mills gave her the world.

"It's my mom," Henry said, "If anyone can tear down her walls and force her to face the truth, it's me. Plus being the truest believer doesn't hurt."

"But you're also the author," Emma said, "and we don't even know what the darkness is telling her. She isn't the same woman you left in Fantasia all those years ago."

"She's also not the woman you met when I was ten," Henry replied, "She's Snow White's sister and the savior's best friend, Robin Hood's soulmate. This is my mom. If I ask, she'll believe."

Emma nodded her head and fought off the fears. Her son was right. They just had to believe. They had to keep the hope alive and Henry was the only one to do it.

So the sheriff nervously clapped her hands together. She rubbed them for some extra courage and faced her audience with a hesitant smile. The words were almost formed when the bell over the diner door, chimed.

The silence that followed penetrated well beyond the thick bed and breakfast walls. A vicious heat crept around the citizens' hearts. A deep pounding will carried them on.

 _To the diner_ , it said, _see the heroes as they truly are. Cowards!_

The voice continued to goad and propel. The townsfolk were lined up against walls, standing on tables and chairs. Those not lucky enough to make it inside had their faces pressed firmly against the tempered glass of the diner itself.

Belle and Gold were the only ones not surrounded by a crowd. They stood at the back near the bedroom entrances, silent guards to separate their one guest from a slaughterhouse. Neither one was privy to the details; still they knew the town believed Gold capable of villainy.

 _Thank you Belle,_ Emma thought when she walked through the threshold.

People stepped back when they saw her. Some even flinched when she was followed by David and Killian both in full uniform. But the worried faces soon turned to looks of confusion when they saw Ryder Wood and Robin Hood next step out.

"This is all because of you," a townsman said.

The room erupted into applause and cheers. Some even stood set to throw food or a glass. But the bell still rung and the mayor had yet to enter. Then the bell above the door melted and an eerie silence filtered through.

The diner door swung open of its own accord, slamming into a few innocent bystanders and parting others. The people closest to the door were quickly turned to ravens. They flew through the air in frantic panic, squawking and squeaking as their feet searched for purchase.

A laugh echoed through the open doorway. A vicious, cold, maniacally delighted laugh filled the ears of the diner and refused to let go. Regina Mills then appeared in the doorway, from a billowing black smoke that hugged her in a sweet caress.

When she stepped forward Emma became aware it was the dress. Black as the night sky and flooded with sharp black pearls. From waist to ankle not an inch of her was left uncovered. But from the waist up, the dress took a sharp and dramatic turn.

Another sheer number adorned the mayor, but this time the fabric served to better cover up. Her breasts were hidden behind a vast array of beads that created a royal crown. The sleeves stretched from wrist to neck with only her collar exposed to the crowd.

Yet despite the simplicity of her dress, her make-up held no such qualms. Her eyes were shadowed in a fierce purple. A delicate black tiara was encapsulated by her raven hair; caught in a half-pony that tumbled down to her hips in steep waves. Her lips too held that purple color. But her olive cheeks were porcelain and no blush adorned her skin.

"Well isn't this quite the turn out," Regina said, "So many have come to witness the savior's surrender. How sweet."

The mayor gave a quick survey of the crowd. Her black eyes narrowed and a snarl curled her lips. Her nose crinkled into disgust. She turned towards the savior, the sheriff and their deputy. An accusing pointer finger rose through the air landing squarely upon them.

"And yet it looks as though she's come empty handed," she said, "my master won't be pleased."

She stepped forward with her hand extended threateningly. Yet one brave sole dared step forward. Archie Hopper, local psychiatrist and former cricket, quickly snatched at her hand and pulled it back.

"Regina, wait!" Archie said, "You know Emma wouldn't show without a plan. You must hear them out."

"Unfortunately I'm not allowed to make that decision, cricket!"

The mayor threw the man back angrily. The therapist slammed into the awaiting crowd hard. Several dwarves and citizens collapsed under the pressure of the blow. Still Regina's hand shook as she held it at the ready.

"Stop!"

All heads turned at the newcomer. Daniel Swan stepped forward in his tailored suit hair slicked back and diamond cufflinks gleaming. He stepped forward slowly, his Italian leather barely making a sound on the squeaky wooden floors.

"I'm here," he said, "Leave them alone."

Regina's flipped like a switch. She turned towards the new meat with an evil gleam in her eyes. A smile stretched back her face until only madness seemed to play. The smile soon made a different turn as she took in her target's form.

She stepped forward a wolf on the prowl. Her hands reached out to caress and examine each and every contour of muscle and taut skin. Her black eyes turned chocolate and she dared lick her lips with hunger.

"Daniel Swan," the mayor seemed to relish the name, "aren't you a dapper morsel."

 _Oh God,_ Emma thought.

"A bit scrawny in parts," Regina said, "but strong where it matters."

Her arms went immediately to the biceps, giving them a firm squeeze and a teasing smile. Her finger playfully twirled around each and every contour of their son's form until landing on his cheek. Henry's eyes blew wide as his mother flicked his earlobe.

Of all the scenarios they came up with, this wasn't even close to the list. Emma had to look away as her best friend ogled their son. Ocean eyes filled her vision with the same measure of horror and disgust. David too looked on the verge of throwing up while Roland was very pointedly looking anywhere but near his sibling and their mother, turning a deeper shade of green with every word muttered from the mayor's lips.

Robin Hood finally had enough.

"Regina," he said.

The mayor's lips were almost pressed to the author's ear. She turned away in mild annoyance. Her chocolate eyes fell to the outlaw in question as she spoke.

"Ignore him dear," she said, "He's not real."

Her words did not have the effect she intended. Instead Robin Hood latched his giant hand onto her slender elbow and pulled. She yanked away as if burned. Something akin to horror blazed behind black orbs of outrage.

"How dare you," she screamed.

The outlaw never had the chance to explain. His air supply was cut off. The mayor's face merely implied this was another form of flirting. If only her chocolate orbs received the message.

"I've come," Henry cried, "Please stop!"

"Insolence cannot be tolerated," Regina said, "Perhaps one day you will understand that, little prince!"

The mayor's face contorted the moment the words fell away from her lips. A brief flash of pain struck her features hard. A single, beautiful tear fell from her eye.

Then everything dissolved into smoke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"She was glowing."

That was Emma's first sentence the moment they appeared. The blonde walked forward and towards the pawnbroker in a giant huff. Henry had to blink just to observe properly. The pawnshop was such a stark contrast to the white light of the hospital.

Rumpelstiltskin looked unamused. He leaned over his glass case of artifacts as a preening dragon would. There was mischief shining in his golden eyes. He gave the savior a lopsided grin and dared to step out from behind the counter and its safety.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about dearie," he said, "but I do believe the sign on the door says we're closed so…"

Before he could even dare try to lead them away, Snow White stood in his path. She and her daughter stood shoulder to shoulder as a charming wall between the imp and escape. Both crossed their arms and cemented themselves further to the floor.

"On her wedding day," Snow said, "You told Regina she was practically glowing."

The smarmy smile turned into a full out grin. All pretenses fell away. His cane jumped into his hand and twirled through the air in a circle to his right. A puff of red smoke and suddenly a familiar image appeared in his slimy hand.

"Hey!" Henry called, "That's my mom's!"

The imp didn't look surprised by Henry's outburst. He simply ignored his grandson and stared at the image in awe. His fingers were delicate as they traced over the small pea that indicated the baby's presence.

"You knew," Emma growled.

Henry watched his grandfather cackle in glee. His skin began to take on a scaly green aura. He stood proud in his suit, leaning casually against the glass case of his counter. He whipped the ultrasound photo back and forth until the paper became thicker, sturdier. Then he handed it to Henry without once removing the smile from his lips.

The teen took the photo, treasuring it in ways his paternal grandfather never could understand.

"You planned on it," Henry hissed.

It was a disturbing truth, one he had hoped never to discover. But his mother and grandmother were right. Rumpelstiltskin had to have known what the well water would do. He was the Dark One, the most feared villain of all the lands. His magical expertise stretched well beyond his three hundred years of life.

"But of course," he replied.

"Why?" Prince Charming's voice boomed.

The imp looked mildly startled by the prince's presence. His happy smile turned into a frown of contemplation as the younger man stepped forward. He simply shrugged his shoulders a moment later and tilted his head.

"I do believe that's my business," he said, "Not yours."

"On the contrary," a new voice said.

All heads turned to find Robin Hood and his wife Regina standing in the middle of the gloomy shop. The queen was still dressed in her hospital gown, a black robe the only thing covering her and keeping her warm. She stepped forward as if she was the one with immortality and power.

"I believe it's ours," Robin said.

* * *

Storybrooke – now

When the fog cleared there was no one left in the diner. Only Daniel Swan remained and for that he was confused. He thought for certain his mother would still remain, wanting to question him further or whatever that previous display had been.

"I must admit. It took me longer to recognize who you were than it should have. Forgive me, little prince."

That voice sent something akin to hatred up and down Henry's spine. Gone away was the rich author who lived in Manhattan. Returned was the prince fighting for his family, his happy ending.

"Rothbart," Henry spat.

He spun around and his scowl deepened. The years had indeed been kind to his enemy. His eyes were blue here even against the thin pink scar on the left side of his face. His clothes weren't torn or obsessively royal. Instead the man before him wore a black tailored suit with a deep crimson silk shirt.

If not for the smug grin on his face, Henry would believe him human.

"Mr. Swan," Rothbart laughed, "I honestly didn't think you capable of such stupidity. Alas, perhaps you inherited more from your father than I had originally thought."

"Which one?" Henry bravely asked, "Technically I have three."

"Yes well… math never was your strong suit."

The villain stepped forward with ease. His sandy hair didn't even flinch as his fingers combed through it. Red sparks shot from his fingertips and Henry's hatred grew.

"You never met my birth father," Henry said, "He sacrificed himself for his family. He died a hero. In fact, all three of my dads have died heroes. You are nothing compared to any of them."

Rothbart laughed like the crazed villain he was. His pressed suit gleamed in the low light of the diner as he stepped closer. The blue of his eyes turned black, displaying the truth of his feelings.

"I am a king," he said, "your other fathers won't even be a footnote in the tales of time. I can offer you immortality in the best of ways. And yet you still slam such gifts in my face with scorn."

"You seem to forget who I am," Henry said, "I'm the author. I'm the one who writes the story. Good will win, Rothbart."

"To the victor go the spoils," the madman replied.

His left hand gestured softly to the two stools remaining at the counter. Henry took his seat and scowled further. The villain had dared offered him his usual seat, taking Robin's place as if it was his right. The author made note of this for later writing.

"Now," Rothbart said, "let us negotiate the terms of my victory."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

When the black tendrils cleared, chaos ensued. Citizens were screaming and begging for mercy. Royals were demanding an explanation. Storybrooke was in chaos.

Regina Mills stood at the center of it all. The smug grin that would have overtaken the Evil Queen's face was nowhere to be found. Her chocolate eyes were erratic and jumping from one voice to another in quick succession. Flames shot randomly from her enclosed fists, forcing the crowd back though she never once unleased their fiery blow. She steadily paced before the diner door. Her breathing was labored as she glowered at her captive audience.

"Regina!" Robin called.

He was the catalyst. The mayor disappeared behind her infamous façade. Her teeth bared as she stared at the outlaw. Her hands splayed out. She fell to a low crouch. Her shoes made a sharp staccato sound on the black pavement.

Her head tilted left at a harsh angle looking painful to the eye. An eyebrow rose to disappear in her delicate hairline. Twin fireballs formed in her outstretched palms.

"You," she said, "You're the cause of this all!"

She unleashed the flames. A torrent of yellow and red burst forward to the outlaw she called soulmate. They were volleyed high into the air, a towering wall of flame stretching to the stars beyond. Then the flames fell away into a soft flock of birds. The robins pushed back the crowd until only the family of heroes and villains remained.

"This is all your fault!" Regina screamed.

She unleashed another bout of power on her soulmate, and found it equally dismantled. Lovely bouquets of peonies littered the pavement at the outlaw's feet. Then a single tiny plant filled the space between thumb and forefinger. Five blue petals surrounded a deep yellow center formed in the outlaw's hand. Robin extended it forward as if no magic stood between him and his true love.

"Did you know," he said, "that forget-me-nots mean true love?"

Regina looked unimpressed but that was her default state. Anytime the outlaw was even a bit romantic her features schooled into indifference because she couldn't quite grasp the concept of unconditional love. It was no different now as she continued to watch the outlaw move with rapt attention.

"I know this because I once brought you a whole bouquet," Robin Hood explained, "It was during that missing year. The one caused when Snow White cast-"

"The dark curse. Yes, I remember," Regina said.

Her voice sounded hard but softness had invaded. Her black eyes were chocolate once more. A hint of light shined bright in her gaze. She couldn't look away from her outlaw and it was fascinating.

The outlaw approached with his lonely flower. He presented it with pride to her. He kept and held her gaze as if no one else was there.

Robin said, "You were just so upset and I had to do something. So I went to hunt and land a giant buck for our feast. Instead I stumbled into a field of these beautiful blue flowers.

I didn't know their name, nor did I really care. I just saw them and had to bring them up from the ground. It wasn't until I was at the castle again, thinking I would present them with pride to my boy, that I saw you.

You were wearing that same blue. It coated you, wrapped around your every curve like a soft blanket and I couldn't stop staring because it was nothing like what the fabled Evil Queen would wear. So I was just standing there holding these dying flowers in my right hand, bow and quiver still strapped to my shoulder and no game to present."

"You were annoyed," Regina replied.

Somehow the distance between the two had diminished. Emma felt her breathing begin again. She turned away from the intimate moment to find Roland staring at his parents with wide brown eyes. He stepped forward as if to interrupt but she quickly waved him away.

This was between the thief and the queen.

"You were annoyed and you just thrust the flowers into my hands with a giant huff," Regina said, "You said here these are for you; an inadequate gift from the son of a thief. It took me a moment to realize they were supposed to be from Roland."

"I was expecting you to burn them as soon as you saw them," Robin nodded along, "But you surprised me. You said forget-me-nots mean true love and then you said… thank you."

"… It was Mother's Day," Regina said, "and Roland had no mother."

A quiet settled then. A smooth blanket of comfortable silence wrapped around the citizens of Storybrooke and allowed fresh breath to breathe new life into them all. Regina sniffed her single flower with a soft smile and a gentle hand. Her chocolate eyes found home with those of Robin Hood's.

"Forget-me-nots are a symbol of memories," she said, "like when I told Roland thank you for the flowers and he had no idea. I confronted you about it and you said-"

"I saw you and realized I picked them for you. No hidden agenda, no need for repayment or guilt. I just wanted to make you smile, just once."

"But you can't be real," Regina cried.

She allowed a sob to billow from her lips and only utter devastation dared follow. Yet she still clung to the tiny flower that held so much hope in its petals. Her eyes turned to Emma and there was hesitancy in her stare.

This was their chance.

"He's real, Regina," Emma said.

The sheriff stepped forward with her hands raised not to startle. She had to fight against her own smile to keep from breaking her calm façade. So she grabbed Roland and pulled him right along with her.

"And this," she pointed to the young thief, "is your son. This is Roland and we're here to help you in any way we can."

"You can't," Regina shook her head, "I'm trapped."

Her chocolate eyes darted back to Robin Hood then. A single delicate hand rose as if to touch him, but the hand folded away. She stepped back as if in physical pain.

"I will never be free," she said.

But Robin Hood seemed immune to the mayor's words. He stepped forward and brazenly touched her delicate face. Porcelain skin peeled away into an olive hue. Purple lips blossomed into a bright red rose. Those same lips followed the thumb that dared to trace them.

"You will not be his for much longer," Robin said, "His curse will soon be broken and with it his hold on you goes."

He was gentle as he pressed his lips to hers. Their eyes closed as if in pure bliss. Emma watched the crowd start to step forward. Her magic quickly flew from her hands.

The reaction was instantaneous. The queen pushed against her outlaw and drew a fireball. She glared twin black eyes towards the savior and gave a guttural growl.

Emma responded in kind. She pushed Roland behind her, wary of what his mother would do under such insanity. A soft shield enveloped the crowd for perfect damage control.

"We're not going to hurt you," Emma said, "We only came to talk."

"No," Regina replied, "You came to save those who cannot be saved."

Regina's fireball dwindled in her palm. She stared hard at the sheriff. Her posture straightened. A new hint of pain filled her features, but she stepped forward anyway.

"Do you really think handing that poor boy over will save you?" The mayor asked, "It was a trick, Emma. A fallacy meant to entice you, to assist in giving my cold-hearted master what he wants… Storybrooke at his feet."

For the first time chocolate eyes took in the crowd and truly saw the people within. Raven hair swished back as a soft look of fear took over the mayor's features. Her sorrowful gaze glistened, red-rimmed and burning as she found her family once more.

"This is a battle we've already lost," she said.

Robin Hood didn't bother with words. He forced his mayor's face towards his own. Their foreheads connected and his hand pulled her own tiny, dainty appendage over his strong beating heart.

"The curse will soon end," he said, "believe me."

"Daniel Swan will give him what he wants," Regina replied.

Despite her dark words she pressed herself closer. Her arms entwined themselves at his waist. Her eyes shut as she took in the feel of her outlaw. The scent of forest and apples filled the whole street though the mayor was unaware of her magic's doing.

"No," a new voice said.

The sharp rasp belonged to that of Roland Loxley. He stepped out of Emma's gentle protection and embraced the light of day. He walked with confidence as he reached into his bag. Then he slammed something worn and hard on the ground at the mayor's feet.

"His loyalty cannot be bought," Roland finished smoothly.

Regina's confusion was mimicked throughout the crowd. Whispers began to hint at anger even suspicion of this newcomer the savior deemed fit to protect. But none seemed keen on challenging their princess or the pirate deputy who served by her side.

"Who is he?" Regina asked.

"You don't know?" Robin said and his voice sounded so distraught it took away the Dark One's attention yet again.

"He's the author," her true love replied.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The response to the queen's presence was instant. Snow and Emma began shouting and listing reasons for the queen to return to her hospital room. Charming even stepped forward as if intent on marching her back there himself. Henry stepped well out of the adults' way to better observe the situation.

"Why do you need a baby, Gold?" Regina asked effectively ignoring the people who cared most about her safety.

The happy demeanor from before fell away from the Dark One's face. He went from leaning to standing tall. He straightened his tie as if nervous. Then he had the nerve to place his hand on Henry's shoulder as if this was just another family get together.

The teen shrugged him off and stared back in scorn.

"Can't a man give a gift without being questioned?" Rumpelstiltskin replied.

He placed his hand on Henry's shoulder again, this time squeezing to keep the boy in his grasp. The teen became aware of the growing tension then. He noticed both of his mothers bristling. He could feel static charging the air. His charming grandfather brandished his sword worriedly.

"You don't give gifts, Dark One," Robin Hood said.

Henry watched as his stepfather brandished his new bow. Its cherry oak finish glistened as a lightning bolt arrow filled its string. The grip on his shoulder grew harder.

"Now," Robin said, "answer my wife's question. What do you want with our child?"

"Is this really necessary?" Rumpelstiltskin said, "You have a miracle growing in your womb, Regina. You should be off celebrating."

Regina stepped forward and the lights overhead flickered. A moment of panic and fear flared within Henry's heart. The images of the morning were running through his head. Suddenly he could see nothing but his mother's pale complexion as she tumbled lifeless to the floor.

"I won't ask again," Regina said, "Why do you need a baby?"

A fireball formed in her right palm. She sent him a scathing look and didn't even try to meet Henry's eyes. The lights flickered a bit more violently. The adults were starting to notice.

Charming lowered his sword. Snow White backed into the center a bit more. Emma prepared herself for a magical battle. And Robin Hood turned his once locked gaze onto his wife with bright blue eyes wide with concern.

The grip fell from Henry before his grandfather could even reply. Henry watched as Rumpelstiltskin fell to his knees. His hands flew to his throat as if he was struggling for breath. His right hand shook with the labor and something resembling a shadow kept cracking in front of his face.

"I…" he choked.

"What spell are you planning?" Regina questioned.

Her right hand was now cupped as if she were squeezing somebody's throat. She stepped forward and the lights flickered harder. Magical instruments throughout the shop were vibrating to life on their shelves.

"I…" Rumpelstiltskin said.

Robin Hood dropped his bow. He stepped forward as if to stop the queen in her tracks. He stumbled and looked down. The floor had swallowed his right foot and refused to let him go.

"Regina," the outlaw said.

The other adults were worse for wear. Their bodies couldn't even move to breathe. Emma was frozen with a look of fear. Snow and Charming had their hands outstretched towards each other, their faces turned as if to warn the queen.

And still the lights flickered on. Regina stepped forward with new purpose and seemed immune to the goings on around her. She tightened her invisible grip on the Dark One until he cried out in pain. Then she pulled her hand back and snarled.

"I will not let you hurt her," she said.

She thrust her hand forward as if she planned to rip his heart out. Henry heard himself scream. His grandfather was starting to blow apart. His skin kept coming undone only to be rebuilt in the blink of an eye. Black smoke streamed behind the Dark One.

"Regina," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"I won't let you hurt her," the queen replied.

"Regina," the outlaw called.

But the queen was immune to their cries. She thrust her power harder and the Dark One was pressed back. His skin was peeling away again. The black tendrils had now developed into a giant cloud. Red specks of blood poured from his eyes, mouth and nostrils.

"Regina!" Robin screamed.

His right foot was free. He stepped forward again only to find his left foot was now falling into the floor. His left hand outstretched to try and grab his wife, pull her back from the brink of whatever edge she was on. But a strange blue glow hindered his progress.

"Regina, please," Rumpelstiltskin cried, "It's not what you think. I don't want to hurt her-"

"That's all you ever do!" Regina replied, "You tear and you bend until she's putty in your hands but I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore!"

"What?"

Henry found his voice at last.

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

"I have to do this, Henry," his mother replied, "I have to protect her from him!"

She thrust her magic further into the Dark One, performing more damage than ever before. Now there was a steady stream of skin and muscle pulling free from his form. Rumpelstiltskin's bones began to show with the force of the powerful spell. The blood was pouring from all orifices available.

And his color was starting to turn pale.

"Don't listen, Henry," the imp said, "It's not her… it's not your mother."

"Don't talk to him!" Regina screamed.

She pushed more of her magic into the dying man, revealing his shriveled blackened heart. His chest grew back but his shirt could not. His cheek bones kept popping in and out of view. The white of his skull was growing bigger on his forehead.

"Regina, stop this!" Robin screamed.

He freed his left foot only to have vines latching onto his arms and legs. Henry was stunned to note they were tiny apple saplings struggling to pull him down. None of the charming clan was able to remove themselves from their magical hold, though a shimmer of white in front of Emma suggested the savior was trying with all her might.

"Regina, don't!" Robin begged.

"Mom!" Henry called.

His mother turned towards him then. Tears were cradling her cheeks. Her chest bounced with each heavy breath. Her hair flew loose in the air, but none of this was important to the young teen. No the author was more focused on the one difference never before seen.

Regina Mills was sporting two different colored eyes.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The quiet murmurs erupted into all-out war. Angry remarks and rhetoric denounced the entire royal line from Snow White to her beloved Prince Charming and furthermore the slander of the savior herself. The mob surged forward, held back only by Emma's protective magic.

Screams of slander about the queen were at the forefront of so many tongues. Ruby, Granny, Belle and Dorothy; they were the only ones able to keep the harsh abuse at bay. They calmed the crowd with their vicious bravado and snarling tongues, threats to the very lives of everyone involved.

Emma ignored them all. Her green-eyed gazed was locked solely on her best friend. She watched as Regina fought hard not to cuddle back into her beloved outlaw's arms and hide away from the world. Instead the mayor chose to look down at her feet where the new material lay.

The savior followed her movements and watched as the object came into focus. A book, a thick hard-covered thing rose through the air in the mayor's grasp. Emma's heart skipped a beat at the quaking in her friend's fingertips.

"Book Two, Chapter Three," Roland said, "Page Twenty-three."

The mayor's eyes blew wide at the numbers announced. Quickly she leafed through the pages until her shaking fingers fell on their destination. The book in her arms began to shake violently. Emma had to stretch onto her toes just to catch a glimpse of the words so obviously disturbing to her.

 _The Thief and the Queen,_ it read.

Breath whooshed out of the savior's lungs. Her green eyes looked up and she found herself staring at wide chocolate eyes. Regina shook her head, the book falling from her grasp with a loud thud. Only one word fell from her lips.

"Henry!"

The mayor turned to the diner with a look of trepidation and so too did the savior. The curtains had been drawn though Emma couldn't recall when Granny purchased black draperies for her window trim. Even the glass door had the black cloth hanging limp obstructing the public view of the conversation inside. It only took a bit of prodding for Emma to figure out why.

The hot flames of magic curled around the sheriff's fingertips. She felt an unbearable sweat want to break out upon her brow. Her breath was stifled by that same hot magic belonging to the woman standing before her.

"He's in there alone with Rothbart," Emma told her deputy and father.

A string of curses served as Killian's only reply. Her father on the other hand deemed that an appropriate moment to approach the distracted Dark One before him. He waltzed straight up to the queen as if she was no threat to him at all.

Emma was too stunned to figure out a game plan because her memories said he wasn't wrong.

"Dad…" she tried.

David Nolan wouldn't have listened even if she tried harder. He pulled the queen until they were nose to nose. Then he curled his fingers into her biceps to fight against her growing scowl.

"You left Henry in there alone?" He cried.

The scowl went away immediately. Panic flared to the forefront of the queen's features. Her olive cheeks paled as she fought against her own growing fear.

"H-h-h-he…" she stuttered, "m-m-my master… h-h-he ord-… ordered me. I had no ch-ch-choice. I… I did-didn't know."

And she looked so guilty whatever fight in sheriff Nolan disappeared. Emma watched her father shrink away from the mayor as if his hands were on fire.

Emma blinked when she realized they were.

"Regina!" Robin screamed.

But the mayor seemed unable to hear. Her hands had already flown to her raven locks, buried deep within their depths and tearing away frantically. She was shouting. Words of protest poured from her ruby red lips. Utter pain dawned her features before wide chocolate eyes found home with Emma Swan.

"Stop me!" She cried.

A moment later she turned and set the diner aflame.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Henry stared in silent horror. His mother's right eye was a beautiful solid purple he had only ever seen when she was performing her most powerful of spells. That reaction was almost expected, but he never expected this.

While her left eye was purple and fluttering with power, Regina's right eye was blue. It was a stark and steady electric blue. Now that he noticed it, Henry could see the sparks of purple and blue flittering around her fingertips, purple on the right and blue on the left. He could hear the stark sizzle of power in the air. He could feel the warmth of fire on his skin.

 _It's not her_ , Rumpelstiltskin had said.

The author pondered what his grandfather had meant. He could see his mother moving. He could feel her magic all around. The lights were flickering just as they had in the diner. Robin was still the only one able to move.

"I'm sorry, Henry," Regina said, "I know he's your grandfather but I have to. You know the truth. All he ever does is hurt her. He must be stopped. I won't let him hurt her again."

With this his mother turned her attention away. She pulled her right hand down and pushed out her left. The new wave of magic slammed into Rumpelstiltskin. The dark cloud expanded as skin disappeared into muscle, muscle into blood and blood into bone.

"I can't," the queen cried.

Henry turned away from his grandfather because he couldn't look anymore. It hurt him deeply to know this was his mother's doing, and more still to know she had such power to defy the Dark One. None of this made any sense.

 _If his mother had this power all along, why didn't she use it when she wanted him dead all those years ago?_

The teenager's eyes rose away from the floor, ignoring his grandfather's screams and Robin Hood's struggles. He found his gaze falling to his mother. He observed her now with fear in his heart.

Her left hand shook with blue sparks. Her chest heaved as if she were the one in pain. White tears sparkled as they fell from her discolored eyes. Her right hand held firm on her stomach.

Henry's eyes froze.

 _It's not your mother. Her eyes were purple and blue. She kept talking about protecting her. He hurt her._

"Regina, please!" Robin cried.

He was almost touching. The baby trees were ashes on the ground. A blue haze battled purple flames now but the outlaw was almost touching. He only had an inch left to go.

"Stop this now before it's too late."

"It's not her!" Henry cried.

The teen moved. He sprinted forward until he was barreling into his mother. He pressed his right hand into her own, ignoring the pain of the sparks shooting from it. The young author ripped away his mother's right hand and pressed his left firmly against her torso.

He spoke for the baby hidden deep inside.

"He's not going to hurt her," he said, "I promise. You have to let him go. He's never going to hurt her again, but you have to let him go."

Henry didn't look but he could feel it working. His grandfather's screams were dying. The lights were staying on. His mother's right hand was now shifting through his hair.

"Please," he begged, "He's not going to hurt her. We're not going to let him. She's got Emma and Grandma Snow and Grandpa David and Roland and all the Merry Men and Cora and Neal. There's a whole town willing to protect her."

The magic was dying now, Henry could feel it. Happy tears fell from his eyes and he began to stroke his mother's belly. A rough calloused hand shot out to join him. The teen looked to his right and found the outlaw doing the same thing. They were both muttering to the baby inside.

"You don't have to worry about her," Henry said, "We're here. We'll protect her… and you can help us when you're here."

A shadow moved to his right. Henry moved back and watched as his stepfather pressed a kiss to his mother's stomach. There were tears falling down his cheeks but he seemed indifferent to them. Both of his hands worked to sooth away the fear.

"Please," Robin Hood said, "Stop this. Don't fall into darkness just yet my love. Let us save you. Give us the chance."

"We're here," Henry said, "and we'll protect you... we'll protect you both."

He looked up then to promise his mother as he promised his sister. Regina looked down and smiled. Her right hand found home on his cheek. The blue and purple dissolved from her eyes and she was the queen once more.

"Henry," she said.

Regina began to plunge as soon as the name fell from her lips. She collapsed breathless into Robin Hood's awaiting arms. A strange garbled yell fell from the outlaw as he grabbed on. He cushioned her head into the junction where shoulder met neck and whispered soothing words into her ears.

"Was that-?" Emma asked.

Henry shot up to wrap himself around his birthmother. She pulled him tight to her side and stared at the trembling queen. The savior's left hand was shaking violently.

"The child," Rumpelstiltskin supplied, "Yes. She's quite powerful."

His voice was filled with indifference. He rose to his full height on wobbly legs. There was no longer a sign of his torment. He looked no worse for wear. But a slight wince when he stepped on his once bad leg suggested he was in more pain than he let on.

"A product of true love always is," the Dark One continued, "and we all know how rare those children are, don't we Ms. Swan? This one happens to be rarer than even you."

"Why?" Robin Hood's broken voice shot through the silence of the shop, "For what purpose could you possibly have for such a child to be born?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Rumpelstiltskin replied, "A new curse is upon us… One that will ensnare the only savior we have. A new one needs to be born."

He frowned as he observed the outlaw cradling his bride. For a moment Henry almost thought he was going to comment. He could have sworn there was a flicker of true feeling in his golden eyes. But the moment was gone and the Dark One stared on.

"She'll be fine," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Regina's strong and she passed that strength onto your daughter. But all magic comes with a price and your wife, outlaw, is carrying it for two. From now on I suggest limiting her magical requirements… at least until the baby's a bit further along."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Emma lunged forward with all her might. She struggled against some long black stretchy tar that dared to adorn her feet. Her magic sizzled in her veins, fighting to come out just as much as she wanted it to. But the strange black goop at her feet seemed able to stop her magic from escape.

"Dad!" She screamed.

Her father was already out. He lay inert, the only sign of life being his chests occasional upward movement. His sword was snapped in half from his outstretched right arm. The hilt was still embedded in his red blistered hand.

Killian fought hard against his own set of horror. Instead of black tar the deputy pirate battled a large bask of crocodiles. Emma also found that the bellies of the beasts, at least twenty and growing by her count, held clocks that kept ticking every which way. At the mayor's victorious laugh the crocodiles grew in their haste to snap away at the silly pirate.

An arrow brought down one ticking frenzied fiend before Kilian could be harmed. Another arrow flew through the air and fell directly between Emma's entrapped feet. The sheriff had enough time to see the golden tip before an explosion of power took hold.

Her feet caught fire first. The flames were bright yellow as they washed away the daring black. It was strange how the flames were so careful not to cause any harm. A moment later yellow turned blue, and Emma Swan had her answer.

A new golden arrow flew directly at the mayor. The arrow streaked her cheek, creating a momentary red gash before olive skin stitched itself back together. The crocodile clocks died. The many flames, boggles and ravens pestering the poor villagers disappeared

"You!" Regina's voice seethed.

Her face contorted into a harsh snarl. Olive skin turned porcelain. Chocolate orbs grew purple, bright and sparkling. Ruby lips turned dark as blood.

The mayor's actions spoke far louder than her words. She pushed her hand forward and thrust the outlaw high in the air. Robin Hood struggled against her invisible hold. His hands ripped away at the strings of magic the naked eye could not see.

A streak of blue thundered forth at a shockingly quick pace. It hit Regina straight in the chest and sent her backwards. Seconds before she could touch her own flames, a bright dark glint flittered. The whole of Granny's Diner was momentarily hidden away behind a wall of pure darkness.

The mayor fell to her knees then unaware or oblivious to anything other than her outlaw. Her hands stretched forth again and Robin found himself surrounded by black crows pecking. They soon turned into singing blue jays, twittering about his shoulders merrily.

"Just die already!"

Regina's scream sounded far too desperate. The mayor kept clawing away at her throat. Emma would have found the situation almost comical if she hadn't noticed those purple eyes constantly dotting towards the blazing diner.

"Please," Regina gasped.

Emma was too confused to understand. Her arms shook as she tried for the thousandth time to remove the shield surrounding the diner. Her breathing faltered from its horrid magical heat. The only thing keeping her standing was Killian's firm grip on her waist.

"Let go, love," he said.

The sheriff fought against his words as hard as she could but she soon accepted defeat. Her body slouched into her pirate's grasp and she felt blistering tears slam out of her eyes. Her whole body ached and still she found herself staring at the mayor.

This was why she was confused when blue light filled the space between mayor and diner. A giant storm cloud drenched the flames without touching another soul. Regina was unaware of her fire's disappearance. She only had purple eyes glued to something in the distance.

"Henry!" She said.

Emma whipped her head around, craning to stare at her beloved son without a care in the world for her own well-being. Henry was there still wrapped up in Robin's arms and shrugging out of his step-father's grasp immediately.

"Mom," Henry said.

His first step was hesitant. He waited, ever the gentlemen, until Regina managed to find her footing. Then he raced forward as if he were that same ten-year-old child that came waltzing over Emma's apartment threshold and demanding that she be the savior of Storybrooke.

He was stopped not by magic, but by a force far worse. His adoptive mother was ripped away from his grasp before his outstretched hand even got the chance to touch her. Black tendrils of vapor took her away with only her distant scream as a consolation prize.

"No!"

That was the mayor's last word.

"No," happened to be Henry's only reply.

He fell to his knees exactly where his mother once stood. His hands fell to the black pavement. Broad shoulders slumped with defeat.

It was Emma who brought back the hope. She slammed into her son's weeping form and held on tight. She peppered his cheek with kisses and gave him desperate promises that everything would be alright. Her blonde hair kept getting caught in his coat because of how close they were, but she refused to move.

"Henry," she whispered ever so softly, "What did he want?"

"It was for her," Henry replied, "It was the only way I could save her!"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Her master was the cat who ate the canary. The bright, beaming smile on his face was proof enough of that. He waltzed into her cell with too much flamboyance and the awful stench of victory.

"You bastard," Regina said.

She was going to say more. Her mouth was open wide with a torrent of pent up anger. Yet the words never left her tongue. They stuck to her throat like hot lava and she couldn't even gasp at the vice-like grip on her trachea.

Her dagger gleamed in the madman's hands.

"Don't worry," her master said, "Your little prince was never in any real danger…"

He paused in the removal of his jacket. His blue eyes were bright with anger as he stared at her.

"I'm not like you," he finished.

Regina wanted to explain how wrong he was but her dagger was still there, glaringly mocking her and her inability to talk. She released what little tension she could with a large steady puff. She found the deep breath ineffective in alleviating that boiling rage within her soul.

"Don't worry," her master said, "the next phase of our plan is about to begin."

"How?" and Regina found herself begrudgingly able to speak at last.

"I have the final ingredient for our plan."

And the madmen held between forefinger and thumb, the author's treasured pen.

"You can't use that," Regina laughed at the idea.

"No," her master said, "but you can."

Regina scowled at the implication. She had no choice and he knew it. He even held the dagger up and waved it just to show how much he knew her involvement was of his command.

Her scowl deepened petulantly.

"What do you plan to do…" and because the dagger demanded she was forced to add, "…my master?"

The madman held her dagger close with a glittering twinkle of menace in his sky blue eyes. The pen began to glow the closer and closer he held the blade to it. It was then a slew of images began to impress themselves upon the mayor.

 _A girl with auburn hair and wicked curls fired a bow._

 _Bright blue eyes and perfect raven hair held in her grasp a gleaming sword unlike any other._

 _Roland and Henry were supporting a very bloodied Prince Charming in their arms._

 _Belle read from a book of prophecies at the top of her lungs, fighting hard against an onslaught of venomous green vapor._

 _Snow screamed bloody murder._

 _Killian and Emma were fighting decaying fiends._

 _A yellow bug came roaring out of the harbor and onto the pier._

 _At last Robin Hood held her in his arms only for a silly swan to stand between them._

 _There was a field of blood and dead soldiers everywhere._

 _"Everything comes with a price, dearie… especially true love."_

"Yes," her master said though he didn't know what she saw, "You're going to raise the dead!"

 _Ooh… I love it when we break the laws of magic!_

The voices swam to life at the mere idea of the fun they would have. Chants of victory dimmed the plans of escape. Now there was only bloodlust left to taste.

Unfortunately, Regina wasn't allowed to speak or even think to shut the voices up.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:** Belle has startling news as to why and how Rothbart's curse sent them to the Enchanted Forest. Meanwhile, in present day Storybrooke it's up to Belle to stop Regina before she is forced to raise the dead, bringing zombies to Storybrooke.


	15. Beauty's Blight, Beauty's Bite

Fantasia – Then

Belle raced towards the royal family panic on her features. She thrust her book forward. Emma barely had time to catch the giant thing before the bookworm was flipping pages.

"I made a mistake," Belle said.

She didn't even look up to see if anyone was paying attention. Her nose was firmly stuck in the book trying to find her missing place in time to show everyone.

"I translated the prophecy wrong," she said, "It's not that the child of the resilient heart will turn dark-"

"But that the child will be born of the resilient heart turned dark."

Belle felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. She barely noticed as Emma dropped her magical book. She simply turned around to face the queen head on.

A sigh of relief fell from her lips. Regina was still holding the baby close to her chest. She set the young princess into her new crib, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I know," she said.

Belle watched as the queen carefully rearranged her bundled child. She tenderly wrapped the swaddling cloth tighter around the baby girl as the babe's fussing died down. Then with a firm look to Emma the three left the nursery without another word. Emma, of course, was the first to speak.

"What was that about?"

"Merlin's prophecy," Belle supplied, "the translation was wrong."

The bookworm watched as the savior's features formed an even bigger frown. The image would be comical if not for the subject matter. Regina quickly placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder and motioned for Belle to continue.

"He said the final battle will begin and end with a curse."

"But the curse didn't work," Emma interrupted, "Regina stopped it. It just brought us back-"

"The curse hasn't happened yet," Regina said.

Belle noticed the look of despair on the queen's features. She knew exactly what would happen, where this would go. The librarian felt her heart break in realization.

"That was the price," she said, "Your heart must go dark."

"What?" Emma screamed her voice far too shrill so close to the sleeping baby.

"That was the price you paid to get us all safely back here," Belle continued, "Your heart so we'd have time to figure out a way to defeat him."

The savior's reaction was quite understandable after such a revelation. The blonde's features were ever changing from anger to relief and then to utter despair and finally sadness. Belle herself felt outraged when she first realized the news. Even with all the good Regina has done, she was still known by most for the darkness of the Evil Queen.

"How could you do that to us?" Emma said, "How could you sacrifice yourself like that after everything we've done?"

Regina's brown eyes grew wide with surprise and anger. Her upper lips scar thinned as a scowl dawned her features. Her hands found home on her hips.

"A simple thank you would suffice," the queen replied.

Belle watched as the emotions flickered over the savior's face. The blonde's green eyes couldn't stop rolling. Her pink cheeks grew steadfastly red with every breath. The savior's temper was quick to flare up exactly at the worst of times.

"You idiot!" Emma said, "You've doomed us all and you think I should thank you? You've sacrificed yourself yet again without even discussing it with us."

"It was either me or my daughter, Emma. You know whom I would choose."

That was enough. The blonde's pink lips tightened, biting back whatever angry retort wanted to spew. Instead she bowed her head and stomped her foot like a petulant child.

"How long do we have?" Belle asked.

Regina shook her head. The princess bowed her head and sighed in defeat. Yet another puzzle piece came forward, the final picture impossible to find just yet.

"Your husband may hold the very answer we're searching for," Regina said, "He can see the future. He'll know what comes next… how long I'll have before… before I fall again."

Belle wanted to ask more questions. There was so much left to discuss. But the queen waved her hands in an odd sort of dismissal. Purple vapors surrounded her tiny flamboyant frame until only the hallway remained. It was Emma's harsh remark that dared stain the silence.

"Why the hell does that woman insist on making my job so damn difficult?"

Belle wanted to agree but a soft white glow removed the blonde from view. And so the bookworm was left alone to ponder the new set of mysterious before her. At least until the new princess cried out for attention and a servant screamed at Belle's appearance in the library, purple smoke be damned.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Black; the color of darkness, decay and all things unsavory. The color of mourning clung to the skin of each and every citizen in Storybrooke. Not an eye was dry as the mass entered the dark wooden doors.

Only Emma cringed at the sharp scent of apples and cinnamon. All other attendees were not privy to the charms of magic. So those who came to the viewing of Sleepy the dwarf, the dead pharmacist Mr. Clarke, were blissfully unaware of the unwanted visitor.

"Regina," Robin whispered.

Emma closed her eyes and begged for breath to return. She had forgotten about the outlaw. He and his son insisted on attendance only to have Emma force the news down their throat. While Robin would be welcome, Roland was still a stranger untrustworthy and a suspect of murder. So the young thief was forced to stay behind.

Now the sheriff of Storybrooke was silently wondering the wisdom of letting the outlaw come. Because, unlike him, she could at least pretend not to react. But Robin insisted on taking his breath a little too sharply which naturally drew the attention of both David and Kilian. The sheriff acted swift as a cat.

She latched onto the outlaw's lapels and pulled him to the corner away from prying eyes. The church was small but it still held enough space for a column to act as a nook of privacy. It was there the savior and thief met to discuss what they already knew.

"You feel her too?" Robin said.

Emma simply nodded. An odd ball of cotton appeared in her throat, catching and staying despite her best efforts. So she gave a soft nod and prayed he understood the need for silence. Their eyes looked skyward where the flames grew hotter.

 _The balcony_ , Emma thought.

A moment later the fire was on her skin, licking like a sticky caress. The savior stepped away from the outlaw. Together their heads swiveled to the source of heat and sweet apple scent.

Regina stood in a lacey black thing. A shroud covered her head pinned to a perfect raven bun. Her skin had lost some of its discoloration, a soft hint of honey peeking out of the porcelain make-up. The mayor's stomach was even covered with a red camisole that actually left room to the imagination. The red stretched down to just above the knee giving her a more gothic look instead of the usual regal tones.

"I… I-I'm… I'm… I-I-I'm here to h-h-help?"

Her voice betrayed her own confusion. Her left hand was quaking. Chocolate eyes were rimmed in red. The mayor even kept shooting wary glances towards the casket ahead.

Emma noticed her chest was bobbing erratically.

"Help," Robin said.

Chocolate eyes startled at the address. Those eyes grew wide with fear and the mayor shrunk back instantly. Her heaving chest doubled time as she fought to gain back control. It was an arm, massaged by a left hand not her own, that forced the real Regina out.

"I-i-it's not what you think," she said, "Th-th-th-He won't let m-m-me say…"

Her voice faded before the next words could come. The shaking increased tenfold. Raven locks sprung free from the tight pristine bun as the head attached shook violently from side to side. Robin's other hand stilled all movement and Regina returned.

"It's pure evil," she said, "He's going to destroy all of Storybrooke."

The fight began again. Sparks shot out of painted fingertips. The mayor's form kept snapping away from her true love's grasp. Still Robin was just as stubborn. His hand wrapped around her retreating jaw and forced their eyes to meet.

Regina sighed when their foreheads touched. A soft purr escaped her lips. Her breathing returned to its once steady rhythm and calm spoke once more.

"Find Belle," she said, "She's the only one who can stop me from destroying the town."

Emma laughed.

"I'm the savior," she said, "Robin's magic is just as powerful. We've got fairies and dragons on our side. Whatever Rothbart has said, we can beat him."

The sheriff's whole body grew cold as Regina's gaze fell upon her. There was something savage in those eyes. A great price was about to be paid, a statement in that gaze said the war was about to be won.

"You don't know what I can do," Regina replied.

It was a simple twitch of her hand. There was nothing overly dramatic or extravagant in her show. She simply moved her fingers and waited for the results to arrive.

And they did arrive.

A series of screams and groans issued forth. Townspeople were running towards the front of the small church as if their lives depended on it. Grumpy and the other dwarves were already arming themselves. Blue had the fairies guiding people to safety.

Killian and David raced towards them, swords drawn and faces grave. Robin and Emma stepped forward in disbelief. Regina silently whimpered behind them.

The casket of Mr. Clarke was open. It had been decided by the dwarves as a way to properly send him off and it proved a fruitful plan too. For there, sitting up and whipping his head around in absolute shock was Mr. Clarke himself.

"How long was I out?" Sneezy asked, "I've got to be honest. When Regina ripped out my heart, I thought I was gonna die."

"You did," Regina replied, "and only Belle can stop me from the rest."

She disappeared soon after. Not even a wisp of her usual purple smoke hung in the air. She was simply gone and took all the warmth right along with her.

"What the hell was that?" David asked.

"Did she just-" Killian began.

"Yes," Robin replied, "Regina just brought back the dead."

"It was a warning," Emma said, "We need to find Belle. Now!"

* * *

The Enchanted Forest – Then

Being back should have been easy. The Dark Castle was protected by magic. Cleaning it up only required minor dusting and a bit of patchwork from the Merry Men's adventures. There wasn't much else to do.

So Belle was able to read and read to her heart's content. It irked Rumple in the beginning, the hours spent dwindling away in a novel of one thing or another. But he understood her and that was enough for the both of them.

But lately something has been missing. An ache formed in Belle's heart and she didn't even know the cause to fill it. She assumed it was the curse at first. Being uprooted from one home and deposited onto another probably wasn't the best of things. Yet that seemed more an excuse than anything else.

Belle tried visiting her friends in Storybrooke. Her own father invited her back with open arms. But nothing seemed to work for that hole in her heart.

"Hello, Mother."

Belle gasped. She stood from her favorite armchair and stared. Before her stood a young man with black eyes, a dimpled chin and the sweetest smile she had ever seen. Her son returned at last.

"Gideon," she smiled, "It's been so long."

The two embraced as if no time had passed at all. Belle took a big whiff of her baby boy's unique smell, a combination of honey and molasses. She stepped back to better observe her son's return to her open arms.

"You have questions," he said, "How could I not come to help?"

Then she noticed it. The slight glossy haze to the world around them. The ever present sense of comfort. The knowledge that nothing could change and yet everything could. Even Gideon's beautiful golden cloak was a sign.

"I'm in the dream world again," she sighed.

He nodded his head and unleashed a beautiful chuckle.

"Yes," he said, "but that doesn't mean I'm not real."

"Of course not," Belle agreed, "But why go through all the trouble?"

"I may be in a different world," Gideon said, "but I will always come back to you, mother."

Belle smiled despite her disappointment. This was her son, her little boy saved from the black fairy. She would grant him anything he desired and they both knew it.

"How do I stop it?" Belle asked.

"Merlin," Gideon replied, "He made a tether for the dark one. Utilize the spell and the rest is sure to find you."

"But he destroyed all of his books when Arthur tried to take them," Belle said.

Gideon winked.

"Not all of them," he replied.

And then he explained everything. In the castle of Camelot, in the old tower he used to roam, there was a hidden place he once called home. It was there where true answers would soon be revealed. There one would find the way to save a heart from darkness.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Belle was not expecting company. She wanted to have a nice day alone with her tea, a Rumpelstiltskin free day. It was one of the few amendments to their marriage she had.

Once a week, Belle would get the entire house to herself, a day of relaxation and unwinding. Her husband would be gone until summoned and only when summoned. She would be free to reevaluate her thoughts and decide if her heart and her head were on the same page. It was probably the only true saving grace to their marriage.

That and her husband's constant pursuit of trying to redeem himself.

So a knock on the door was most unwelcome. Belle had to remove her kettle from the flame, far before it was ready to do so, and work hard to insure no other objects were turned on before making her way to the front. She opened the door with a soft whoosh.

Emma Swan, David Nolan, Robin Hood, and Killian Jones all stood outside her door. Killian had on his usual dashing smile while David and Emma shared twin words of the professional greeting. Robin wore a scowl as he barged in through the door.

"Pardon him, love," the pirate said, "His manners are a bit rusty from the coma."

It was meant to be a jibe and Belle understood that. But the thief it was for simply ignored that too. He turned around and shouted in a voice very reminiscent of his soulmate, "We don't have time for courtesy."

He barreled through the rest of the house with the expectation of being followed. Belle thought twice about outright refusing. Robin wasn't usually so rude and she knew from experience that her friend had nothing but a kind heart.

Her blue-green eyes turned to the three others still waiting to be bid entry. A smile and wave of her hand resolved that issue but no answer seemed to come from them. Surprisingly it was the pirate who answered her silent question, the prince and the savior off to stop whatever storm the thief had brewing.

"Regina says Rothbart plans to make an army of the dead," Killian said, "and she brought the dead dwarf back to life to prove she could do it."

Belle nodded her head.

 _Yes_ , she thought, _that would explain Robin's behavior perfectly_. But it didn't explain everything.

"Why didn't you go visit Rumple in his shop?" She asked.

The indignant huffs from Deputy Jones and Sheriff Swan were expected. The bad blood never ended with those two and her husband. But David's uneasy sigh left her with a sharp rumble in her stomach. Then Robin was ripping through her books like a madman and her mind was abuzz with worry.

"What's going on?" Belle asked.

"She said you have the answer," Robin replied. He didn't even have the decency to stop and just look at her. "I'm assuming the answer rests solely in one of your books. So I figured I'd give us a head start while we still had one… unlike some people!"

The accusation flew to three winces. Nobody stopped the thief from his rummaging. They didn't even move from their seats around her small breakfast table. The two heroes and former villain simply sat and waited for the results to arrive.

Belle rolled her eyes. She stepped around her frozen guests and interfered with the ransacking of her small library. Her hands were careful as they pulled away the dusty books. Then she grabbed Robin's hands and held them tight.

"Tell me," she said, "I'll be more help if I know why you're being so rude."

A deep look of chagrin took over Robin's features. His dimples appeared over pouting lips. His head dipped low with shame. Storm clouds bogged down his once bright blue eyes.

"He's building an army of the dead," Robin said, "Rothbart is using the power of all the Dark Ones and Regina's own magic to defy the very laws of nature…"

His face turned from sorrow to panic in an instant. Rough hands pulled away from Belle's grasp only to wrap harshly around her gentle shoulders. The squeeze of his hands was too painful to bear but nothing compared to the fear in those eyes.

"He wants to bend the very laws of magic," he said, "It could do something far worse than kill her!"

"It could turn her to the darkness completely," Belle agreed.

Robin let go when he saw she understood. His fingers shot to his lips than pulled away again. Hands tore at his hair before that habit too was dismissed. Never had Belle seen her friend so thoroughly confused.

"What do you need me to do?" Belle asked.

"Is there any record of this happening before?" Emma asked, "Regina seemed sure you would know how to stop her. Maybe the answer is in the past."

Belle shook her head. No, that wasn't the case. She had spent years reading history books and studying every inch of the Dark Castle. Whatever Regina's needs were, it was based solely on her knowledge of dark magic. There was something more lurking just under the black.

"No," she said, "my books are about magic and its rules. She would know that from the information of the others."

"But raising the dead is against the rules," Emma said, "You can't make someone fall in love with you. You can't travel through time and you can't bring back the dead. Those laws have never been changed."

"Zelena broke the law of time travel," Killian reminded, "and the wicked witch was Regina's sister. If she had the power to do that, there is no telling what the new Dark One could do."

"Stop that!" Robin shouted, "Stop calling her that! She's still… She's my Regina! She is not some evil villain just waiting for her next crime. Regina is trapped under a curse-"

"A curse meant to turn her to the darkness and bring out her worst self," Killian agreed.

"Enough!" Belle screamed.

She understood the both of them. They, like her, knew the struggle of loving the Dark One just as much as hating them. Bickering wasn't going to help their cause. Regina had a specific book in mind. She had to in order to point them even in Belle's direction.

 _This would be easier without the curse messing with our heads_ , Belle thought bitterly.

Still there was something she could do. If she had to guess the book they were looking for wasn't here. It would be in the library on one of the less frequented shelves. Or perhaps the sorcerer's mansion she had yet to full divest.

Merlin!

Yes, Merlin had experience in this field. He was the sorcerer. He was the first to suffer the curse of loving the Dark One. There had to be something in one of his…

"I know why Regina wanted you to find me," Belle said.

The guests all stared blankly upon her. Not a single blue or green eye understood an ounce of the words she spoke. But the trust was there too, written in the way they each leaned forward to soak up this impressive knowledge she imposed.

"and I know which book she wants."

* * *

The Enchanted Forest – Then

The journey wasn't long. Belle merely had to water Philippe and she was already halfway there. Camping wasn't even required but she didn't want to chance it. Her horse was much too valuable and her heart too eager to see Gideon again. Her son promised to visit to better council her on the journey.

This time the dreamland included their favorite spot, the very swings upon which they spoke the day he was born.

"To enter will not be easy, Mother," Gideon said, "I hope you are prepared. Has father come with you?"

Belle shook her head. She wouldn't allow it. This was one journey she had to take on her own. Though, Rumpelstiltskin refused to release her without protection. In her bag was a mirror that would allow her to call upon whomever she desired for assistance. She also found a crystal ball meant to create a shield between herself and harm.

"No," she said, "I thought it best not to tempt the Dark One with Merlin's secrets."

Her son nodded as if he understood. Despite his tutelage under his grandmother's evil reign, Gideon was still naïve in the ways of the life. He didn't understand his father's addiction nor his mother's uncommon love. It was one of the many lessons his parents were willing to teach him and they made no small work of showing him each and every day.

"Have you talked to your father recently?" Belle asked though she knew it wasn't as nonchalant as she wished.

"Sometimes," Gideon said, "Though not as often as I should. He understands me mother… in ways I both love and despise. I don't want to disappoint him but I know only darkness comes from his chosen path."

"Helping people is not darkness, Gideon," Belle admonished, "Even using dark magic to accomplish that isn't something to abhor. Your father is still learning about the good man he once was. Someday he will find that goodness again. He did it for your brother. He will do it for you too."

"He won't," Gideon sighed, "At least not in the way I had always hoped. But I do know this mother… the darkness is growing and it soon won't be satisfied with him."

"I already know about that," Belle said, "in one of Merlin's books I found a prophecy. It says that the new savior will be born from the resilient heart turned dark. That's what I am trying to stop."

"And I am certain Merlin's answer will be enough," Gideon said, "but I'm afraid you think it will defeat the darkness in Regina's heart for good. It will not."

"How can you be so lacking in hope when you've seen its wonder?"

Gideon chuckled which was her goal. Her son's bright smile meant everything to her. It showed her every day that the little boy she dreamed about was still in there, tucked safely away. She couldn't help but smooth his eyebrows and ring that smile to a beaming light.

A twig snapped in the distance. Gideon's happy face turned sour. He pulled her up to standing and looked around in fear.

"Someone's here," he said, "but I don't sense harm. You better wake and make certain. I have been wrong in the past."

"Only about Emma," Belle laughed, "and you've made up for that."

"I'll see you in your dreams, Mother," Gideon replied.

He disappeared in a puff of maroon smoke and Belle woke up. She sat up upon her tiny bedding and looked around. There were no signs of distress in the wood. So what had her senses going haywire.

"Fancy stumbling on you."

The voice made her smile despite the tension. Belle whirled around and caught sight of that same smarmy smirk. His old raggedy green robes and tunic complemented his tan leggings and stiff leather boots perfectly. Yes, Robin Hood was a more than pleasant sight to behold.

"Does your wife know where you are?" Belle teased coyly.

The smarmy smirk turned more mischievous the longer she looked. Clearly the king snuck off to re-embark on his outlaw roots. And he did it without permission which probably added to the danger of it all.

"If my kingdom truly needs me," he said, "I'll be able to pop back in in a flash."

And to prove his point her disappeared in his lovely blue smoke. A gentle tapping on her right shoulder told her all she needed to know. The outlaw was back to his old antics. She turned around and laughed when she noticed he was standing on her left with laughter blazing in his eyes.

"I'll have you know you interrupted my time with my son," she admonished sharply.

His eyes grew soft. Shame painted his cheeks and he bowed his head. He wiped his hands on his pants in distress. Then he nervously ticked his foot from right to left and back again.

"My apologies, Belle," he said, "I seem to have gotten a bit heavy footed since arriving in the castle. The servants have made me a bit lax. I hadn't meant to reveal my presence until you were in need of breakfast. I even have the rabbits ready for the fire."

Belle smiled. Her stomach growled in agreement. Perhaps a few less hours of sleep wouldn't be too awful. It wasn't as though the fate of the world didn't have so much longer to wait anyway.

"Then by all means," she said, "I was just going to dine in Camelot but this is a much better deal."

"I thought you would agree to that," Robin replied.

They ate in silence. Both were too afraid to talk and neither wanted to share their reason for travel. Belle assumed this had something to do with Fantasia's men and its new royal sussing out whom to be trusted and whom to be canned. But then she noticed her friend's hands, lightning flickering enthusiastically from fingertip to fingertip.

The penny dropped a moment later.

"Regina told you about the prophecy," she sighed.

"Emma actually," Robin said, "after Regina forced her onto a mission that would work on tightening ties between our kingdom, Sherwood and Snow's."

Yes, Belle thought, the savior would be that cruel.

If the two weren't such best friend the play would be surprising. The only others bold enough to attempt such sabotage against the former Evil Queen were Snow White and Henry. Neither would ever actively sneak away though. Only Robin Hood had ever dared further ire from his queen.

"You're here at Rumple's behest then?" Belle asked.

"To be fair," Robin said, "Your husband did suggest joining you on your journey would be faster. He tried to get me to send Regina but she only just had the baby. The boys still need help adjusting to their new world. Cora is up and walking about. And we've got a whole kingdom trying to discover our greatest weakness to exploit it."

"And Regina has more experience in ruling a kingdom," Belle supplied.

"That too," Robin chuckled.

He had the dignity to look slightly ashamed. If he wasn't checking his pockets every five minutes, she might have given him some slack too. But Belle knew Robin. They were friends long before anyone else took their hearts away. So she knew what he refused to tell.

"You are going to be a wonderful king Robin," Belle said, "You need not fear the throne or it crown."

"It's the Archbishop I fear," Robin said, "He has too much control of the town. I can't get rid of him and Regina doesn't trust him. If those things alone could be cause for his dismissal all would be well… but if he grabs this information, he could destroy everything before it's built."

"Then let's dissolve the problem before it can be found."

Belle grabbed his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. They shared a knowing smile and finished their meal in silence. Having a king would definitely help Belle in a meeting with Camelot's queen. Guinevere still remembered their last visit. She would be more than happy to allow them the chance at Merlin's books.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The building was dusty. Belle could barely breathe without something flying up her nose. The smell of mothballs and decay clung to everything here. Even the once pristine furniture held the awful stench of mold in its grasp.

Belle ignored this in favor of a far grander scheme. She raced down the hall, past the ballroom she christened as a new bride, to the very large stateroom filled to the brim with books. The vast majority of pages were blank but a few treasures still held.

The book she was after wasn't there at all. It was hidden; hidden away in the secret study just beyond the stateroom's clutches. A simple lamp hanging upon the wall was forced to lower.

"Merlin's Mansion has a secret passageway," Emma grumbled, "Why am I even surprised?"

"It's not the only one," Belle replied.

She was amused by the blonde's rolling green eyes. The men were too busy staring in awe to even both, but Emma Swan found nothing but sarcasm for these modern inconveniences. It was with an odd mix of heartbreak and fondness for the blonde that she turned and entered.

The desk stood out as the only item untouched by time. While cobwebs and dust sprinkled every inch of life in the tiny study, the desk remained impassive like a god. Ironic considering it was made of gold and modeled after the blazing sun.

Emma was already raking the shelves, searching at the neat little tidbits Merlin didn't want the wrong people finding. David stood guard by the door, his sword gleaming. Killian merely looked around flustered between one item and the next. Between the savior and the pirate, the cobwebs would be swept away in record time.

"Show me the book," Robin ordered.

Right, Belle had almost forgotten about the greedy outlaw. She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his exuberance. The man practically oozed the saying, at the end of the rope. It probably didn't help that the connection between soulmates allowed him to share everything with his more impatient counterpart.

"Robin," Belle sighed, "if Regina is the Dark One… can you still hear her thoughts?"

The question broke the outlaw out of whatever angry thoughts he had. He looked up a bit sheepish. He timidly looked from one friend to another before shaking his head.

"She's not there anymore," he said, "I can still feel her. I know when she is angry and when she isn't. When I close my eyes I can almost picture where she is… but I can't know what she thinks. I… I think she's not letting me."

"Too afraid of you joining her in the darkness perhaps?" Killian asked.

Robin simply shook his head and shrugged. His understanding of magic probably only rivaled Belle's. She doubted he was too eager to learn even with his hidden talent unleashed. In the years missing from their minds, perhaps he had managed to obtain some schooling but it was doubtful he ever reached beyond the basics. The outlaw hated magic and its addictive hold on its users.

It was also the cause of most of this family's heartbreak anyway.

"Perhaps we can find that out too while we search for more important things," Robin gently prodded, "We are on a tight schedule here."

He was right of course. So Belle left the subject alone. She would return to it at a quieter time, perhaps when the soulmate in question wasn't threatening the welfare of the town at the will of some madman seeking revenge.

The book of their desires was a stark silver against the shining gold. Its white runes sparkled with the magic held in its grasp. Carefully Belle touched the spine with the tip of her middle finger.

It began flipping immediately. Pages of evil, vile, wretched things popped in and out of vision. Magical words of spells and potions sped away until only white remained. Finally, the pages stopped and a great lion appeared.

"It's my family crest," Robin said.

Belle stared at the image on parchment and compared it to his skin. The likeness was exact. The black ink mirrored perfectly. Even the simple markings unique to the artist were on display.

"This isn't a picture," Belle said, "It's a match. Merlin foresaw your crest."

"But why?" Emma asked.

She and Killian stepped forward to observe the odd resemblance. Of course the lion took that as its cue. It gave a mighty roar and raced towards the top right corner. It gave a fiery display before words filled in its trail.

The librarian watched as the words mixed and formed, collapsed and reformed again. They went from Ancient Greek to something resembling Chinese then another mimicry of scratch marks before finally forming the Latin of old.

"Merlin apparently speaks languages of the Land without magic," Emma observed.

Belle simply nodded along. She squinted her eyes just so and concentrated. The words switched to Elvish now. They gave a glossy white glow before turning black on the page. The lion roared one final time and all movement ceased.

 _It was translating to a language I would know_ , she realized.

Immediately she grabbed a pen and started writing the words she knew. Soon enough the translation was well underway. What the others did she couldn't tell all of her focus was on the pages before her. She went from word to word with effortless ease… until she landed on a word she was hoping never to see.

The pen fell away and with it all attention came.

"Oh my," she couldn't help but groan.

 _Anything but that_ , she begged the gods above, _please._

But she wasn't wrong. She knew it. The word was too obvious. The statement too cold.

"What is it?" Robin asked, "How do we stop her?"

"We can't," Belle said, "It won't work."

"What won't?" Emma naturally said, "What did you discover?"

"Anything you tell us could be of use," David reminded.

His words of comfort didn't work. The looks of confidence surrounded her on all ends. But it was the outlaw's glimmering blue eyes so filled with hope that filled her with dread.

"We have to stop the spell," Belle said, "or kill her."

* * *

Camelot – Then

Belle may have overestimated Guinevere's reaction just a little bit. The queen of Camelot was happy to see them. She even offered both lady and thief a spot of honor at her table. But when it came to Merlin's private stash, she was less than inviting to her guests.

"Absolutely not," she said, "It is far too dangerous."

Lancelot was already gripping her hand, supporting her with his vast strength, loyalty and love. His eyes were gentle as they stared at her. All heat was forgotten the moment the queen made eye contact.

"I'm sorry," Guinevere said, "It's just that last time-"

"Many things have changed since last we met," Robin said, "I for one am now a king by birthright married to the mayor of Storybrooke."

"And I had a son raised by his grandmother the black fairy," Belle sighed, "My husband may still be the dark One-"

"Which is another reason for my worry," Guinevere said, "How am I to know if you come here of your own free will or on his behalf? Your last attempt at defeating the darkness landed my kingdom in a strange land without our memories."

"And your husband dead at the hands of my lovely brother-in-law," Robin sighed, "Who then killed me… and then tried to kill my wife so he could then kill my sister-in-law… Perhaps you would prefer if I removed our hearts for you to see our intentions are pure?"

Belle could have slapped herself, or him. She had forgotten her friend's tongue in her excitement at a new adventure. It was one of the few things the land without magic got right. Robin Hood talked himself into trouble.

"You can do that?" Lancelot asked.

He sounded worried and the bookworm couldn't blame him. Being the son of the lady of the lake he probably knew far more about Cora than was appropriate. Considering Regina was the daughter of the queen of hearts, the evil queen and Robin's wife had to make him nervous.

"I haven't tried personally," Robin said, "but if it's anything like putting them back in I could probably give it a good go."

The outlaw king raised his goblet to his lips as if this was a normal conversation. Belle's stomach dropped at the thought that this very well might be. He hung out with the Charmings regularly. Hook was a regular in their household long before they turned him into the captain of their navy.

Perhaps having a new king was the worst idea of a business partner.

"If you are afraid of Rumple," Belle tried, "I can promise he won't be any harm to you. Our son will gladly surrender his dagger to you as a sign of good faith."

They didn't have to know the dagger was a fake. Even Robin knew not to question the sense of it. He simply bit back his smirk and kept playfully drinking from his goblet. The fact that he was waggling his eyebrows and kicking her ankle gently meant nothing.

 _Shut up_ , Belle thought quietly, _we need to make friends not enemies._

She wasn't certain if he could hear her. The power of soulmates was still unknown. Everything Rumple could figure out was guesswork at best and confirmed whenever Robin and Regina felt it was necessary for him to become aware.

"Or I could gladly offer an exchange of goods with Fantasia," Robin said, "Our ports have been closed for far too long, I'm afraid. We've too much of so much and not enough of so much more."

Perhaps he could hear her thoughts.

"Neither move is necessary," Lancelot said, "My mother foresaw your return King Robin. And more importantly, I know of that which you seek. We can trust them, my queen."

He gave her nod and Guinevere relaxed fully. All thoughts of the dark one's rebuke drifted away with her love's words. She nodded her head and bade them entry to wherever they wished.

"Just please," she said, "No more curses."

Belle turned her eyes on her snarky friend, a silent plea bouncing between them. Robin Hood kept his lips closed. He gave her a light wink and said no more.

Together they entered Merlin's tower with ease. They even managed to light the horde of candelabras with a simple flick of Robin's wrist. The chamber was almost as full when they left, and a dark curse brought most of it to Storybrooke.

"Be wary," Lancelot said, "For I have deceived my queen. I know what brings you here… I know of the prophecy you wish to destroy-"

"Destroy and prevent are two very different things," Robin replied.

"Know this King of thieves," Lancelot said, "What you plan has consequences far beyond imagination. Tread lightly. The sands of time are falling and you stand in the way of the very glass that keeps them contained. Please, for all our sakes, be wary."

He left with that lovely tiding and didn't look back. Robin looked perfectly chastened while Belle rolled her eyes. She grabbed the nearest candelabra and looked for anything that might lead the way. Her efforts were futile though. The answer came with a swinging door.

"Hey Mom I think I might… Oh hiiiiiii, Robin."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"Well killing her isn't an option," Emma said.

"Let's not knock it, love," Killian replied, "It worked out quite well for us last time."

"You were granted life as a reward by Zeus," Robin scowled, "and I died."

"You were actually my example, mate."

The two shared a knowing look. There was reproach and humor mixed together. Belle was starting to understand why the mayor constantly rolled her eyes.

Which was a horrifying realization, considering the woman kidnapped her and put her in an asylum for twenty-eight years.

"Like I said," Emma said, "Killing her isn't an option. So how do we stop the spell?"

"Does she have the author's pen?" Belle asked.

Judging by the dodgy looks and guilty expressions they wore, the answer was a definite yes. Belle sighed and tried to think of another plan. Perhaps if they broke the pen Regina would be unable to…

The silvery glow of Merlin's book beckoned. Belle was its willing captive. She opened its pages until the spine sang. The paper flipped until that silly lion crest came back again.

This time the lion wasn't so unhelpful. It gave life to its words with ease. And Belle soaked up its knowledge with every bit of strength she had.

"If we steal the dagger…" a voice began.

"Robin, you know that won't work," Emma hissed, "Rothbart won't let us anywhere near his prize. He wants to raise the dead, fine. How do we kill them? If the final battle is the zombie apocalypse, I'm game."

Belle rolled her eyes. Sometimes her friends didn't think beyond the present. Emma of all people should know the consequences of messing with the dead. Ghosts were only a story in the land without magic. Here they were true and Rothbart clearly had no clue what he was getting into.

"But why an army of the dead?" Killian asked, "Why not just a regular army like everybody else?"

"Because we defeated the army of shadows," Robin sighed, "He needs soldiers that can walk even when beheaded."

Or he just wants to show off his fire power, Belle thought.

The thought made her pause.

Rothbart was a king without a throne. Her knowledge of his history with both Rumple and Robin confirmed that. So what was the point in raising an army of the dead when he had a powerful sorceress already on his arm?

A swirling glow told Belle exactly what she needed to know. It was there in the depths of the riddle. The true reason Regina sent for her. There was only one way for the Evil Queen to truly reign.

And only a truly heinous act could kill Regina Mills.

"We need to get to the cemetery!" Belle screamed.

* * *

The Enchanted Forest – Then

At least the teen smiled. His mother didn't even look up. She stood with a baby at her front and a toddler on her back. Roland was nowhere to be seen but Belle knew he was there too. Regina was many things but neglectful wasn't one of them.

"Regina," Robin said, "Interesting surprise."

"You're supposed to be ruling a kingdom," Regina replied, "Not gallivanting with your bookworm friend on a strange adventure to Camelot."

"Says my wife, queen and mother of my children," Robin replied, "currently bent over a stack of dusty old books instead of resting and running a kingdom as she should be!"

The queen made no eye contact. She simply kept sorting through books and journals as if no children were present. Anytime Cora so much as let out a fuss a wisp of magic would have her giggling in an instant. Odette simply slumbered on though from the drool dripping down the queen's pants, Belle assumed she was just fed and burped.

"If you're looking for anything useful forget it," Regina sighed, "There's nothing here."

Her brown gaze was glued solely on the blue-green eyes of Belle. The bookworm almost jumped in shock. It was almost amusing how Robin could glare at his wife and still the queen ignored him completely. But her former enemy still received direct eye contact.

We have come far haven't we? Belle thought.

Regina gave her a cheeky smile too.

Okay you can both read my thoughts.

"Only a little dear," Regina replied, "It comes and goes. Your face says it all today."

"Creepy," Henry said.

Of course it wasn't his mind that was violated to begin with. The brown-eyed prince merely wore a look of pure disgust, plopping down a worn leather book into the gathering dust. As Belle followed the tiny stationary's movement she noticed brown curly wisps at the queen's feet. Upon closer inspection it was indeed Roland's head pillowed there, a purple cloak draped delicately around his tiny form as a blanket.

"I couldn't open that," Henry said, "So it must be closed by magic."

The worn leather book looked more like a personal journal than some special book, but Regina tore into it anyway. She pried at the pages with all of her might. Then she cast a few spells over it to try and enter its secreted hold.

She threw it away in disgust barely containing her rage. A gaggle of magical bubbles came soaring through the air to keep Cora from screaming in dismay. Belle picked up the stationary out of habit more than anything. She delicately traced the spine and the runes written upon it.

The book snapped open and purred.

"Of course it would like the bookworm," Regina said.

There was no heat to her words. A small smile seemed to crick the corners of her lips. Her big brown eyes were full of affection. Belle couldn't help but beam under her once enemy's scrutiny. Somehow, they were friends.

Her eyes gazed upon the message with both certainty and confusion. She understood the text's rules. She could even guess at why it was so important to obey. But surely something more could be done.

This will be enough, the book said, you will understand in due time.

"Well?" Robin said.

He sounded far more impatient than his wife. Henry even had to stifle a giggle at the harsh similarity the two soulmates held. But it wasn't good news Belle could dispel. She needed a moment to better explain.

"I can't stop the darkness," she said, "Merlin says it is too important."

A string of curses came but not from the expected source. Robin Hood's fingers were lighting up with tiny bolts as his mouth let loose. Finally his fingers found home in his mouth, stifling words unsuitable for too young ears, and thoroughly snuffing out the sparks of magic before a disturbance was felt by the slumbering children.

Twin brown eyes merely looked on to her in expectation.

"But we can do what once was done," Belle told the queen, "We can put the darkness under control of a better one."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The group rushed as fast as their cars would let them. Police sirens howled from every angle. Pedestrians were dodging the two cars right and left. Belle had to swallow down the bile edging upon her throat.

Her hands shook with the book in its clutches. She could feel its power trying to jump from its very pages. Still she kept a firm grip upon it. The last thing they needed was Merlin's power taking over.

"Almost there," David muttered.

A person screamed in the distance. The sheriff gave a small apology but made no move to slow down. He barely stopped the car from hitting a headstone in his haste. Belle removed herself from the car in glee.

And the ground groaned underfoot.

"Regina!" Robin cried.

There she was. Planted firmly in the middle of the cemetery and surrounded by a blackened purple haze. The air was heavy with the feel of magic and its bitter electricity.

The queen was in rare form. Her dress was black, the same traditional color of her darker self. Rhinestones surrounded her cleavage in coarse display. Her collar rose to well above her ears. And no color decorated any inch of her. She was purely a monochromatic scale, pale pallor included.

The blackened haze turned into a violent cyclone of magic and power. Thunder cracked and purple lightning skirted the sky. The ground quaked under the magical fervor. Yet only one grave stood under its magnitude at current.

They still had time.

"Regina, stop this!" Emma screamed.

She and Robin were acting as if they were in a fight with a hurricane. Killian and David were on the ground feet away. For some reason Belle was the only one untouched.

The book grew warmer as if in answer.

 _You?_ Belle thought.

A new heat that sent happy chills down the spine enveloped her. _Yes_ , she mused, that was exactly what she was afraid of. Merlin's magic had more bite to it than originally considered.

 _If you insist_ , she sighed

She stroked the spine. The book sprang from her hands in glee. The pages rippled and foamed until the spot was found. Light, an impeccable beast of bright white light flooded every inch of darkness in the field.

The dark tornado of power dwindled down to nothing. The Evil Queen scowled at her spells end. It was the Dark One's dagger that remained untouched, upright and still standing.

"Now witch!" the madman screamed, "I order you Dark One! Unleash my army of the dead."

Regina whined in pain. Her hands flew to her head instead of the ground. A scream of pure pain fell from her lips. She fell to her knees and begged for mercy.

"Please," she said, "I can't. He won't let me…"

Her tormentor wasn't satisfied. He stepped forward into the light with the dagger close at hand. He plunged forward and smiled in glee at the scream that erupted from the queen.

The man wasn't how Belle imagined. His eyes were blue, not black. Raven hair freshly trimmed sprouted from his head instead of the expected sandy blonde. His chin resembled Emma's more than Robin's. He even seemed to be a young man in his early twenties instead of the middle aged man the group described.

In fact it was none other than Ryan King.

"Neal?"

Emma's gasp left the librarian heavily confused. She could tell the others were as well. Robin even wore a deep scowl on his face.

"That's your godmother!" The outlaw screamed.

The young man didn't care about his words. He brandished the dagger like a sword. He swung it in the savior's direction and his charming smile grew deeper with the queen's screams.

"No!" David said.

"Yes, Father," Neal said, "I have avenged you."

"Avenged me?" David asked, "Avenged me how?"

"I now control the witch who tore this family apart!" Neal screamed, "The woman who threatened to enslave you and mother in a tomb of dreams and regret. It is me who wields the Dark One's dagger."

"Why?"

Neal smiled at his sister. He pulled the dagger close to his heart as if it were his offspring. He cradled it close and gave a soft kiss. Regina groaned in pain.

"Revenge, sister dear," he said, "Something you were too weak to seize!"

He cackled then. His blue eyes were wild and manic. He even pulled the dagger up and Regina obeyed. She stood again, ready for combat.

"I now have control over the monster who caused misery for so many," Neal said, "I own the tormentor. Now she will save you all from this man's lies!"

He pointed to Robin with the dagger. It sizzled and gleamed with his anger. Robin stepped forward with pure hatred on his features.

"You would betray your family," Robin screamed.

"You betrayed me!" Neal said, "By holding that traitor!"

The young man's face morphed from rage to fury to a smile in seconds flat. Belle could feel her head whirl at the constant change. Merlin's book even seemed to shrink in her grasp.

"The Mills and the Nolans can never be family," Neal said, "ask your darling princess Loxley if you doubt me. Mark my words, she will betray you too. It's what the Mills women do."

He turned to glare at the Dark One under his control. Regina's gaze turned purple with his hatred. The queen smirked as if she enjoyed the fire coming from her godson.

"Why are you doing this?" Belle asked, "You still haven't answered that. We deserve to know why you would terrify your people so."

"My people betrayed me," Neal said, "the moment they started following her and the spawn she spewed-"

"Odette," Emma gasped, "You're talking about Odette?"

 _Who's Odette?_ Belle wanted to ask. Thankfully she was smart enough not to. Instead she asked the other obvious question.

"What do you want from us?"

"The truth," Neal said, "and since you've stopped my spell I'm afraid I will get it another way. I had tried to be civil. You thought the Dark Swan was bad. Wait 'til you meet the Dark Prince."

He disappeared with a wave of his hand. A tiny tendril of black was left in his wake. Even the queen was gone away from view. All that was left in its wake was a gaping hole in the ground and an unmarked grave.

* * *

Storybrooke - Now

The funeral bells chimed as the last of the ashes were laid upon the casket. Mr. Clarke, Sneezy the dwarf, was finally laid to rest. His tombstone stood out harsh in the blazing sun. The newest tragedy for them to mourn.

Still Emma could not quite find it in herself to talk to the mourning dwarves. Leroy was already torn up beyond repair, drinking himself into an impressive stupor. Sleepy was even joining him. Bashful and Dopey were sharing small anecdotes in sign language.

Doc didn't even know his brother was gone.

It was too much for the savior to take. She barreled out of Granny's with an aching heart. She didn't even stop for the few condolences sent her way. Even her silly pirate couldn't force a grin upon her. She was out in the open air, forced to accept a truth she didn't want.

The girl was there as well, sitting at one of the tables and nursing away a small Bourbon. Her bright blue gaze looked glassy. She sipped away in shame.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Emma wanted it to be her voice that spoke. She wanted to believe herself brave enough, calm enough for this conversation. But Prince Charming was waltzing over to the table and the savior knew the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me my son is working for Rothbart?" His voice slurred as he spoke.

Odette flinched as if burned. Then she stood and spoke softly.

"I thought he was cursed too."

She disappeared before any further questions could be done. Emma grabbed her father then and held him close. Together they stood embracing in their own misery.

* * *

Fantasia - Then

Belle watched as the king and queen laid their children to rest. Henry was the only one awake, the only one who dared ask questions. But the parents quieted his fears with gentle looks and soothing smiles. The young teen was dead asleep moments later unable to fight the pull of sleep anymore.

The queen was the first to appear before her. She was stubbornly tucking her raven locks behind her right ear and grimacing at their own stubborn refusal to stay there. It was only the king's steady hand that kept the locks in place. His mouth was set in a grim line of agony even at his own success.

"How do we do this?" Robin asked, "How do we stop the darkness in its tracks?"

Belle swallowed. Worry once again invaded her chest. Her turquoise gaze flashed Regina's way. The queen looked just as invested as her spouse. The bookworm swallowed again and bowed.

"We need Rumple's dagger," she said, "then something to tether the spell."

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:**

Neal plans to show the citizens of Storybrooke the real Odette. In Fantasia a lesson on good and evil is learned. Meanwhile Annie Hart must make a decision with consequences of its own.


	16. Prince Ryan King

Storybrooke – Now

Ryan King was in a rage. If it wasn't for his one prisoner he may have lost sight of the plan. As it was, he could barely stop himself from causing her harm. The dagger glowed dark as his magic forced the woman on her knees.

"You did this!"

Somehow he just knew it.

"You told them somehow!"

He couldn't help it. He slapped her, his ring cutting her cheek quite harshly. The magic within healed it up before anything could be permanent. Still the queen gave him quite the little sneer in reply.

If he didn't need her so much he'd…

"Enough!"

The voice boomed and served well to quell the quaking rage inside. Ryan bowed his head respectfully and stepped away from his prisoner. The queen, savage beast that she was, laughed at his retreat.

"You will not mar her again."

The young man bowed and presented the dagger as expected. It was taken away but not harshly. Lord Rothbart, the true king of Fantasia, was kind in his discipline. He gently laid his hand on his apprentice's shoulders and squeezed.

"You must not let your anger overtake you," he begged, "Our plan is almost set. You will soon have your revenge just as I promised."

"But how can I have that without killing her?" Ryan asked.

He was ashamed. He sounded more like the selfish prick prince Neal than the rich and calm Ryan King. He was no mere child anymore. He was a king in his own right, a man poised to take the throne. And he was screwing it all up because of some silly girl.

"Killing her would ruin everything we've accomplished," Rothbart said, "You know that. We must be careful. The final part of our plan is almost ready. We need wait only a few days longer. Can I trust you?"

"Of course you can," Ryan said.

He was offended his mentor would even have to ask. If it wasn't for Rothbart the truth would never be revealed. He would have been stuck in that castle constantly worshiping that loathsome king like the rest of those poor denizens. They were saving them, saving their people from the worst spell imaginable.

"Then you know what needs to be done," Rothbart said.

Ryan nodded. He wouldn't fail. He couldn't. He owed the king far too much. His loyalty and gratitude were nothing in comparison.

"You bastard," the queen snarled.

Her eyes were permanently purple now. Ever since they returned from that dreadful spell, her violet eyes never once dispersed. She was truly the Dark One now.

"What have you done to him?" She hissed.

Her voice was colder now. It sent chills up Ryan's spine like never before. Often he wondered why he never noticed it, the coldness inside of her. When he was young he never saw the darkness inside. She was always a source of light that made him laugh and feel safe. Now that too was gone.

"What spell have you cast upon my godson you exacerbated scum-"

"Silence," Rothbart ordered.

The queen still continued to yell, she was just muted now. She screamed disgraceful words to her heart's content and their ears were no longer assaulted by her vile, vicious voice. This was his godmother, a source of true darkness and absolute hate.

"She knows?" Rothbart asked.

He sounded disappointed. Ryan bowed his head in shame. If he had just been a few moments faster, she would have never known. The truth could have stayed hidden until she was able to… No, this was Emma Swan's fault.

That repulsive savior believed the outlaw over him, her own brother. She chose to believe Robin Hood over their one true king. She chose evil over good. It was her fault for this mess, not his. Ryan was innocent in this.

"The savior," Ryan said, "She revealed me. I had no choice."

"Why did you go to the cemetery?" Rothbart asked, "I told you it wasn't time."

"You know why," Ryan said, "I had hoped that the circumstances would have set her free… that she would join me. I didn't want to be alone anymore."

"You are never alone."

Rothbart was firm in his words. He held his apprentice's shoulders and squeezed hard. His black eyes turned blue with his sincerity. There was great kindness on his scarred face.

"You will never be alone again," Rothbart promised, "but you must not rely on the dead to bring you happiness. The past must remain where it lay. Our only hope is in the future."

"And we must stop others from finding our home," Ryan agreed, "but how do we do that?"

"The final part of my plan is already on its way," Rothbart said, "When he arrives… then we will be rid of the false king and his spawn in due time."

Ryan tried to ignore it. The little pinprick in his heart just wouldn't leave him alone. He had no choice when the words pushed right on through.

"And Annie Hart?"

He felt shame color his cheeks. It was weakness he knew. The girl was one of the very spawn of the lying king Rothbart spoke of. But his heart still remembered the auburn girl from his childhood. The girl with a bright dimpled smile and laughter that sounded better than an angel's call.

"She will join us soon," Rothbart promised, "We need her. Soon she will see the truth. And our cause will finally be won."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian entered through the window his back full of aches and pains. He unleashed an ungentlemanly groan, pressing against the vibrant pain. He stepped forward with cautious steps. His every instinct was on fire.

The room was exactly the same. Specklings of dust were the only real difference. The room still had the same peeling mint green paint. The same hideous old bed spring still held its moldy mattress. The dresser was a little less white than it had been before but that same stupid mirror still stood in the corner just overlooking the door.

Yes the wicked witch's old room was the perfect place to start.

The deputy moved away in search of evidence. He was certain Rothbart had something of value lying around. He could practically picture the dimpled smile Odette would give him.

"Killian."

He stopped rummaging immediately. With the quick steeling of his features, Killian Jones turned in the direction of the mayor's voice. His features turned and twisted into a look of absolute shock.

She stood in the doorway, regal in perfect poise. Her head was raised high. Her hair was pinned in an elaborate up-do. From the crown of thorns strapped to her forehead raven locks seemed to sweep back as if they were growing weeds. Her face was completely devoid of kindness and light. Her face was a sickly pale white in stark contrast to her blood-red lips.

Diamonds sparkled from her ear lobes and even dropped low on her plunging neckline. It was then that Killian became aware of the elegant ball gown cascading her tiny frame. She was engulfed in a dramatically billowing skirt of midnight blue. Little stars decorated every inch of the material. Her corseted top was a crescent moon of sparkling silver. Upon her shoulders were two straps of cloth that exposed her shoulder to elbow. Three entwining ribbons of silver stretched out from her elbows to fall on her tiny, frail wrists.

Killian looked up and found chocolate eyes enveloped completely by purple. Regina Mills was the Evil Queen once more.

"Regina," the pirate said.

"You moron!" The queen replied.

Despite the situation her snarky nature put a smile on his face.

"Do you have any idea what he would have me do if he knew you were here?" She asked, "My master would be furious. And now I have no choice but to tell him. Congratulations. You have now made me responsible for ruining my best friend's happy ending… again!"

Killian stepped forward suddenly brave. He reached out a cool hand, hoping to squeeze her arm and bring some comfort to the woman. Instead he found himself in the middle of an argument he was ill prepared for.

"We should kill him," The Evil Queen said.

Her purple gaze turned sharply to the right. Fire roared to life in her hands. Her purple gaze remained glued to a specific spot behind his shoulder.

"I will not hurt him!" She said.

"Why not dearie? He's just a smelly pirate."

"Besides, our master would be displeased should he discover we did not properly dispose of the – intruder."

Killian's smile fell away from his lips. He turned in the direction of the voices, unable to find their source. But his eyes fell to the queen and he knew. He could not see the people belonging to the voices because he was not supposed to.

They were all in her head.

"Just a little pop of magic," the Dark Rumpelstiltskin said, "and you will finally be free to embrace the darkness you so love."

"I will not hurt him," Regina repeated.

Killian was alarmed to hear the strain in her vocal chords. She was suddenly looking unsure. Her purple gaze began to increase. The fire at her fingertips raged on.

"He's nothing but a pirate," the Dark Swan replied, "He's not a hero. He's a villain and you know the rules, Regina. Villains don't get happy endings. Why should he cash in on the savior's?"

"You don't mean that, Emma," Regina replied.

"What has he done for us?" the Dark Swan asked, "How many times has he endangered Henry? How close to death must our son come before we act?"

"Stop," Regina pleaded.

"He nearly sent your boy to the underworld," Rumpelstiltskin sing-songed, "let's not forget that it is because of him your precious Robin Hood died at all."

"And why should the savior get her happy ending when you don't?" the Evil Queen asked, "She's just like her mother. Always ruining your happiness. What better way to repay the kindness than to destroy hers?"

"You're nothing but a coward," the Dark Swan said, "You could never be the savior. You're too selfish to do what must be done. Rip out his heart so that we may all survive!"

"Regina, stop!"

The queen looked thoroughly confused. Tears began streaming down her porcelain skin. Her too pale cheeks lost what little color remained. Her lips became more pronounced in their puckered blood. Her purple eyes simply grew more and more magnificent with every tear. Yet she looked crumpled and broken, no imperious attitude to be found.

"It's not Emma," Killian said, "Look at me. Focus on me. Don't listen to them, love. They're just lies."

"Lies," the Dark Swan chuckled, "he would know all about that… wouldn't he, your majesty?"

Regina's gaze turned heated upon him. Her lips trembled but her tiny frame filled the room with its anger. She shook from the frustration of it all. Clearly it was the dark version of Emma capable of antagonizing her so.

"It's not her," Killian tried, "I know my Swan and that is not her! You know me, Regina. What lies have I told you?"

"Neal," she said, "You knew about Neal. You know what he's-"

She couldn't finish the words. The turmoil she was going through seemed to stay them despite herself. She couldn't breathe either. The pirate could only pray he had something good up his sleeves.

"All hail the good queen Regina," he said.

He jumped to his knees and assumed the honorary position. He leaned his head forward and brought his hand across his chest. His right hand stood at his shoulder while he gave his queen the respect she was due.

"Killian?"

He rose at the unofficial command. His hands curled into her untamed hair. He weaved his fingers in it until her purple gaze was fixed on him.

"There she is," he said, "There's my queen."

The dam broke then. Confusion fell upon chocolate eyes. A soft tremble turned into a violent storm. Killian Jones pulled his queen into his arms and held on tight. He ignored the awful sting of her power and instead focused on the woman in his arms.

"Make them stop," Regina pleaded.

He closed his eyes and bit back his tongue. He couldn't and they both knew it. This was what Rumpelstiltskin had done. Not only did he give himself such unlimited power, he bestowed this curse upon the queen.

"They won't stop," Regina said, "Nothing I say or do will help. Why won't they stop, Killian?"

"Because they want you," he replied.

It was the truth and they both knew it. The only way to get the Evil Queen back for good was to finish what was started. Rumpelstiltskin needed a woman on the brink of insanity to enact his curse. The Dark One simply needed the good queen gone forever, hurled over the edge against her will.

The isolation her new master kept her under wasn't helping either.

"Come with me," the pirate begged.

But his queen shook her head.

"He will just order me back and you will be killed," she said, "You know I can't let that happen."

A creak came from the stairs. It was a sign that he needed to go, still his feet disobeyed. He pulled his queen into his arms and tried to tell her everything with his hold alone.

"We will free you, my queen," he said, "I promise you this curse will be lifted and you will have your freedom."

Regina pushed him away instead. She shook her head and pointed to the window. The despair on her face told him everything, violet gaze returned along with her despair.

"If you leave now I won't have to tell him," she said, "He'll never know you were here."

"It's Neal," Killian said, "Perhaps I can talk him out of whatever spell he is under?"

"Neal is not my master," Regina said, "It's a spell, Killian. You have to free him now before he does something truly terrible, please!"

Her purple eyes looked once more to the door.

"Go!"

He obeyed but only to a point. He ducked down so her master couldn't tell he was there. But still he heard when the man spoke.

"I have a new task for you, my queen," the man's voice said, "Take me to your vault."

Killian smiled sadistically. Yes, he recognized that voice. Robert Rothman was indeed the true master of the Dark Queen. And soon, he would lose that title.

* * *

The Enchanted Forest – Then

The boat shifted forward and back. The sails were ahull and still the ship rocked on. Many a crewman were already sick from the scourge of the sea. It was only a matter of time now before a mutiny was discussed.

"On your feet men," someone called, "The Admiral is approaching."

Killian Jones had seen his share of storms, but never had he expected this. Most of his men could barely rise without at first swaying heavily. Others were only able to bow their heads they were so bed ridden. Only two of his able-bodied seamen were out of commission entirely, unable to salute the Admiral of the Fleet as was expected.

"How many ship worthy?" Killian asked.

The silence was reply enough. Whatever this storm, it took out his entire crew. Only a few from the Jolly Rodger joined him on this expedition. Mr. Smee, his loyal first mate, was the only one aboard this ship.

"Captain Smee," Killian said, "report."

"Two sails are lost, Captai – Admiral," Smee said, "One mast is in dire need of repairs but the ship itself is still in working order. It's the man, sir. They seem in need of cheering up."

Cheering up indeed. Killian could see the vast majority of them were green and not with envy. It was a pathetic sight and not of their fault. Some maelstroms could send even the most iron of stomachs into a frenzy and this seemed especially true today.

"Rest up men," Killian ordered, "I want not a one of you out of your beds until your legs are seaworthy again. I'll speak to the queen and give her my reports. Any letters to sweethearts shall be given to your captain if you expect them mailed through."

He left the bunker without a look back. It was far too depressing a sight to see. And the wind was relentless when he finally escaped the confines before the mast. It was dreadfully cold even with the magic shield aboard the ship. The rain was pelting from all sides. The wind howled and begged for entrance.

The quarterdeck was beautifully dry but still some drips were coming through. Killian made a mental note to refresh the spell before calling upon his queen with his report.

But first he needed to make his own call.

The Captain's cabin wasn't much but it was home. A portrait of Emma hung above the bed so he would never miss her. It was even charmed with her smell to soothe him to sleep better. Sometimes it would even play a song on days when he seemed to miss her the most, a lovely gift from the queen upon his promotion.

These past six months at sea were the worst Killian had ever seen. It was nothing but one deluge after another. Just when they were successfully out of one storm a new one would be on the horizon. It truly wasn't fair.

Half of his men were starving to death aboard their ships where no game seemed to appear. The other were sent home on wobbly legs acting for the world as though they'd never sailed a day in their life. It was a deeply complexing mystery, though Killian had his suspicions.

The ornate mirror hanging above his desk was the answer. It wasn't nearly as ornate as the rest of the items on the ship. After fifteen years it was still the only thing that looked its age. Of course, this particular gift was one given as a memento from another ship so long ago.

"Mirror Mirror on the wall," Killian recited, "show me the maiden I hold most fair of all."

He could still hear Regina snickering in the background even after thousands of recitations. It was her cruel sick joke. In order to call out to anyone he must first address the mirror and then instruct it on who he wished to speak. It took many painful tries before he perfected the enchanted labels made.

The image before him morphed away from his own appearance, haggard though it may be. Instead dark hair grew into a long blonde refrain. Sea blue eyes turned green. A snarl turned into a radiant smile. A blue dress filled out where once an admiral's uniform lay. And Emma Swan smiled back at him merrily.

"Hello Admiral Hook," Emma said.

Ah so she was in a playful mood today. Killian couldn't help but grin in the news.

"It would seem my arrival has been grossly overestimated," the admiral told his wife, "I'm afraid I won't be back in time for our anniversary love."

Emma didn't seem as upset as he expected. Usually she was utterly heartbroken. Instead she looked somewhat relieved by the unexpected news. That worried him more.

"Perhaps that is for the better," Emma sighed, "Our lovely Cardinal-"

"Arse," Killian interrupted.

"-is accusing Regina of yet another affair," Emma finished, "and this time his target is at least believable."

"What?" Killian gasped, "you mean Bill 'Bootstrap' Turner isn't turning on the charm for our dear queen."

Emma rolled her eyes at his shock. Honestly the idea of a former pirate seducing their queen was outrageous to most of the people in Fantasia. Only a small few ever believed the rumors and those were usually citizens loyal wholly to the Cardinal Richelieu.

Of course they were wrong but how would they know? The queen kept her affairs private and the king was constantly seen chatting to one woman or another. Anyone who didn't know the pair would be forced to suppose and question. It made sense that the Cardinal would choose that as his newest way of retaliation.

"He suggests it is you, Killian."

That gave Hook pause. His loyalty to the queen was without question. The fact that he was married to her step-granddaughter, the envoy of Queen Snow and Fantasia, showed it. It wouldn't be a great leap to make connection between the two's constant flirting and something more lying beneath the surface.

"How does she wish me to play?" Killian asked.

His wife shrugged; a terrible sign.

"She didn't even bother with a response," Emma sighed, "She practically laughed when one of her maids told her. The Cardinal looked on in feigned horror while the corners of his mouth suggested anything but."

"And I bet Robin's constant contact with Milady isn't helping," Killian scowled, "What does the king say about these rumors, anyway?"

Emma rolled her eyes again. Hook could see the picture she painted with that expression alone. It was known by all of the Merry Men that Robin was the jealous sort. It was often the smallest of things that would set him off unexpectedly.

Becoming king only increased his need to boast too. He was bound to talk about all four of his children and his wife in one sitting, per feast if he was given the chance. Often it was Killian's job to change the subject and keep him from noticing the wine he imbibed.

Apparently only the King of Thieves could challenge the former pirate in a drinking competition and win.

"He's torn between laughing his ass off and killing me, isn't he?"

Emma nodded.

"Robin's actually taking the allegations seriously," she said, "but he wants to talk to you first thing when you make port. Try not to give Richelieu too much of a show. I know you and Regina hate him…"

"Hate him is too kind a word, Swan," Killian growled, "Loathed would be a better one. We wish to tear him limb from limb and abandon him on Neverland with our enemies while they feed him to Pan. Yes, that sounds pretty accurate."

"Play nice, Hook," Emma sighed, "We can't afford another investigation right now. You know why."

Yes, Hook knew why. He also agreed but keeping the Cardinal unaware of their plans was best.

"Fine," he said, "I will try to reel in my impeccable charm for you, my love."

"Not too much," Emma laughed, "You know how much I enjoy the show too."

"Aye," Killian bowed to his lady's request, "Til next we meet."

The image of his beloved faded away. All that was left was a pirate captain in Admiral's clothing.

 _A trim is in order if I am to speak with the queen._

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian was out of breath.

Running through town didn't used to be so taxing. He remembered many a scuffle where his cardio was in far greater demand. Apparently aging in a timeless town had no effect on aging, aching muscles.

He was much too old for this.

"We have a problem," he said.

It probably wasn't the best way to start the conversation. Entering his own home with terrible news hardly ever was. He was met with too many blue eyed looks of horror and brown-eyed looks of dismay. Still it was the green eyes narrowed as if in the midst of war that made him regret his opening statement.

"What did you do," Emma asked.

Her hands went straight to her hips. She was already wearing jeans and a familiar white tank top. The only part of her outfit missing was the red jacket.

A terrible sign if there ever was one.

Just as the former pirate was about to explain his piece, a noise filled the air. It wasn't sharp nor was it shrill. But the unpleasantness could be felt by all as each family member hassled to cover their ears and minimize the sound.

"Emma Swan!" The loud voice called out, "I have a proposition for you!"

Hook's heart squeezed painfully hard in his chest.

"Who is that?" David asked.

Killian silently grumbled to himself. It was always him to deliver the bad news. He never did catch a break.

"It's Neal," the deputy said, "Regina says he's under a spell. That's how Rothbart is controlling him. We free him from the spell… he's back on our side."

"When did you go to see Regina?" Emma hissed.

He was going to reply to that. Unfortunately the house decided to start shaking. The gorgeous crystal chandelier hanging in the foyer made its slow descent towards the floor below. Roland and David dashed out of the way in a hurry while Odette, Robin and Henry disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, reappearing on the stair landing.

"Honestly," Odette said, "Must you be so dramatic."

Killian almost laughed at the memory she provided. The damnable prince outside, however, had other plans. He shouted out all the louder.

"Meet me at the clock tower at seven o'clock sharp!" Ryan King said, "And I'll explain everything. Once you hear the truth of your precious goddaughter, you'll understand my plea. You'll join me… as I have joined the rightful king, the true king."

The house gave another nasty shake, this time every picture on the wall fell victim. Several of them hit invisible bubbles around each of the members currently inside. Many pots and pans too died during the quake. But all turned quiet, small wisps of blue-black smoke petering up from the sidewalk.

"Is everyone alright?" David asked, always his first train of action.

"Fine," seemed to be the general consensus.

It clearly wasn't the truth. Roland was decorated with tiny bruises from the few pieces of shrapnel he couldn't be saved from. Odette was looking far too pale. Robin Hood had blood eeking from his fisted hands. Emma Swan simply wore the deepest scowl any had ever seen before.

Killian opened his mouth to get the first word in.

"Explain," his wife said, "Now!"

Perhaps he should have led with I love you.

* * *

Fantasia – Then

"Alright men!" Admiral Killian Jones spoke, "Off my ship and into the arms of your women. Tell them the tale of your survival and I expect you all to report for duty in a fortnight! Now abandon ship all of you!"

The men scrambled hurriedly away. The Port of Fantasia was flooded with blue and silver seamen. Not a single piece of wooden pier could be seen, only the familiar obsidian Lion that protected the gates beyond.

Killian stepped off his ship with ease. The Black Swan was his favorite of all the vessels, named for his very lovely wife as a joke by their queen. Its midnight hull shimmered radiantly in the sunlight. Its sails sparkled like stars in its sky.

Still to leave the ship couldn't have come soon enough for the Admiral of the King's Navy. He had many reports to make and even more words to deliver to his and her majesties. It would be well beyond supper before he would be granted leave to return to his home.

"Well if it isn't the infamous Captain Hook, returned to our borders at last."

The voice sent a sharp chill down his spine. His teeth automatically ground together. His right hand furled into a tight fist and anger shot throughout his every nerve.

The woman at the end of the deck wasn't anything special. Black hair, black eyes and a pink petticoat were her main features. The lack of a skirt in favor of the scandalous tight trousers and high-heeled boots were a staple. Her black locks were pinned in fine ringlets about her lovely pink pheasant hat, feathers draping every which way to show her grandeur.

"Milady de Winter," Hook said, "What a pleasant surprise."

His smile felt like a sin to his own lips. He walked down onto the docks with his head held high. He brushed off whatever dust he could find to allow the rising sun to show off his many metals. He even gave the feathers on his cap a few quick fluffs for good measure.

The woman latched herself onto his arm as if given an invitation. She held her little lacey white clutch close and dared bend forward to present her own cleavage. Knowing he was a married man seemed a moot point to the twice widowed woman.

"Easy Hook," Milady said, "I'm here on official business from the king."

Killian scowled at the woman. It was never a good sign when that woman met him at the docks. He didn't even have time to regain his land legs and here she was spouting off about her power over the king.

"And is his wife, the queen aware of this official business?" He couldn't help but ask.

This time his companion scowled. He internally grinned at the victory. But once again Milady's cool exterior came again.

"The king, much like the Cardinal, often wonders where your true loyalty lies," Milady said, "With him and the crown… or with the queen-"

"My services and loyalty will always be to her majesty the queen and all she remains loyal to," Hook replied, "the king knows this and has never before questioned my loyalty. If he truly wishes it, I will gladly bend knee and pledge my services."

Milady seemed amused by the image. Her black eyes sparkled with mischief. She began playing with his kerchief as if she had permission, ignoring the obvious signs of dismissal. She even moved in closer effectively pinning him to the side of the local tavern.

"I must say, Captain," Milady drawled, "You would do well to pledge your loyalty soon. There are some pretty scandalous rumors floating about that you and the queen are… intimately involved. You don't want the Cardinal getting the wrong idea, do you?"

That was the last straw. Killian grabbed hold of the vicious woman's wrists, twisting them for good measure. He moved so she was the one pressed firmly into the tavern wall. Then he made certain his face was well towering over her own.

Milady merely raised a coy eyebrow in challenge.

"The Cardinal can very well shove himself into the next available crabber and be the bait for all I care," he said, "I'll never betray my queen or her king."

He released the woman and made quick work of fixing his uniform. It would be bad form to present himself to the royal court in anything less than perfection. The seas may have been rough but he knew the importance of appearance.

"Now if you'll excuse me," he said, "The king has requested an audience with the Admiral of his Fleet. You will do well to scuttle along to that Cardinal and relay my message. He needs assurance that there is no love lost between us."

Milady de Winter scowled at him again. She pouted out her coral lips and made a big show of fixing her rouge. She then flashed a quick kiss and was off, performing her master's bidding exactly as expected.

 _Sorry Emma_ , Killian thought, _but keeping quiet never was my go to method._

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"So Regina is…" Robin looked too fearful to finish his train of thought.

Killian was glad. He could barely understand it himself. The last thing he wanted to do was explain the situation to the queen's own husband.

"Neal's under a spell," David asked, "Did she say what kind?"

There was hope on his face and once again the former pirate had to dash it away. He shook his head and watched the light fade away from bright blue eyes. Emma gave her father her own withering look, trying in vain to be hopeful and failing spectacularly.

"Any spell can be broken with true love, Dad," she said.

"Only if the other person actually loves you," Roland was helpful to add.

The deputy gave his nephew and low growl. The thief didn't even look bothered by it. He grinned that dimpled smile and sat up impossibly straighter. Thankfully Henry knew what to do. He slapped the younger man in the back of the head and scowled deeply at him.

"What?" Roland said, "Emma and David can just give Neal a sneak attack and kiss him on the cheek. One of them is bound to be his true love."

Killian winced.

"The queen wasn't too forthcoming with which spell Rothbart used," he said, "The way he reacted to just David and Emma's presence alone suggested less than friendly terms. Perhaps if we knew what happened to Snow…?"

The question was left out in the open for a reason yet no one lay claim to its secrets. Many young eyes turned anywhere but towards the older adults. While Emma's pale cheeks grew incredibly white. David took this all in with a look of pure horror.

"Do you think Snow is the reason he's like this?" The sheriff asked, "Does Rothbart hold her captive?"

"Um," Emma sighed, "Not exactly."

Her green eyes turned towards her godchild wide with fright. Odette's pale skin took on a tepid coloring. She stepped forward, mouth open as if to speak, then she was quickly rushing off to the facilities unleashing an unholy war of her own upon the porcelain throne.

"It doesn't matter," Henry declared, "We need to find the spell to save Uncle Neal. That will bring us one step closer to breaking this curse and answering all the questions you still have left."

"How?" Emma asked, "I remember everything from before the curse and I still don't know what Rothbart did. I didn't even know Neal was cursed until the cemetery. I would have to observe him longer to know what spell he's under and I won't get to do that 'til seven o'clock tonight."

Killian rolled his eyes. This was the same conversation they always seemed to be having these days. Even the savior had to have some idea of what to do next.

"Can't you just make one of those general potions that tell you what's wrong and do that?" He said, "I've seen you and Regina do that a hundred times before. How is this any different?"

The glare he received suggested death was imminent. Apparently he hadn't been paying as much attention as he thought. In his defense he had seen many an ailing parent or child enter their lovely home with a fear for their loved one easily aided by the general potion he described.

"That kind of potion doesn't exist, Killian," Emma said, "I always listened to what they said and had them describe the symptoms. If I couldn't figure it out I would have Regina pop in and help me. If anybody would know Neal's spell it would be her."

"Maybe we can ask," David said.

It wasn't just Emma who shouted in outrage. Killian could feel his mind try to explode directly from his skull. Was the man even listening?

"She's trapped under Rothbart's control," Emma said.

"We can't just up and ask her for it," Killian finished.

But the gleam in the sheriff's eye was too daunting to dim. Clearly a plan was brewing in that scary mind. The former pirate groaned.

"She let Hook into her room without alerting her master," David said, "What would she do for her soulmate?"

 _Yes_ , Killian thought, _I knew I wasn't going to like this plan._

* * *

Fantasia – Then

Entering the throne room was an absolute let down. There wasn't a single royal soul to be seen. Only the men and women who serviced the king and queen were there. They were too busy dusting and decorating to even notice the return of the Royal Admiral of the Navy. The few who did pay him heed merely pointed to the war room with downcast eyes and sad smiles.

 _Great_ , Killian thought, _even the help are lacking in enthusiasm at my dashing return. I'm beginning to think I should have taken David up on his offer as Head of his Royal Guard._

Still Killian did as suggested. He entered with the grandeur he was renowned for. His hat was firmly glued under his armpit and he walked with the stance of a respectable man of honor in service to his king and country. He jammed a smile on his face and walked in as if nothing unusual happened.

"Your majesty Cardinal Richelieu is very worried for your safety," Rochefort said.

Killian's frown disappeared. Sitting in the seat closest to the queen was indeed his worst enemy. The Comte de Rochefort was a man in his mid-40's with a belly to display it. His dress was that of the traditional servants of the cardinal, a red frock with a black cross. It was supposed to be a symbol of humility.

It was worn as a badge of wealth to spit on the very people they served.

"He merely wishes to allow his men to protect you when the musketeers cannot," Rochefort finished boldly.

"Then it is a fine thing that I have returned," Killian replied, "For there isn't a man or woman alive who would dare face the fearsome Captain Hook though it's Admiral to you, lad."

Rochefort leapt from his seat immediately. He began bowing as expected, sputtering words of apology for not hearing of his arrival. Yet it was the queen Killian had eyes for.

A stunning and most welcome image to that of Milady de Winter, the Good Queen Regina wore nothing of the usual royal fancy. Her dress was simple in its elegance. A nice light blue that hugged her form splendidly, it hugged in all the right places and suggested it was satin instead of silk.

Her hair was pulled back into a simple half-pony. The platinum crown upon her head was the only sign of riches she allowed. She stood promptly with a radiant smile adorning her features.

"Admiral Jones at last," she said.

She embraced him whole-heartedly and Killian couldn't help but return the gesture. Six months at sea had been far too long. He mightily missed the smell of apples and pine.

"We were beginning to think you would never make it," she coyly whispered.

She gave him a flirty wink and all but dragged him to Rochefort's own seat. Killian set his feathered cap upon it. Then he leisurely stretched his legs into the next seat to make his point very clear. His enemy's angry snarl was sign enough of success.

"I have come at the request of the king to deliver my report," Hook said, "though I seem unable to find the king which is fine by me. Everyone in the kingdom knows I'd much rather the company of his oh so beautiful queen."

He gave Regina his best wink and even took her hand to his lips. The kiss he gave was long enough to be discourteous but not enough to raise brows. He watched as she coyly crooked an eyebrow at him, amusement flaring in her chocolate gaze.

"I see you haven't lost your charms while at sea," Regina replied, "I'm sure your wife will be more than happy to find you home and whole."

"Aye but I was lucky," Killian sighed.

Apparently they were going to talk business first.

"Many of my crew lack the protection of the savior's magic," he said, "The violent seas and constant storms have left most weak in stomach or knees. I'm afraid even proper nourishment could do nothing for your Navy's finest."

Regina went into action immediately. She haled the nearest servant, calmly taking her tray and placing it on the table. When the girl, no older than eighteen if his calculations were correct, tried to take the tray back her queen would have none of it.

Instead she produced a bag of coin from thin air. She pushed it into the young girl's palms and gave her order.

"Take this to the royal physician," she said, "Order him to visit each and every sailor just returned. Tell him this is a down payment for his sacrifice. And let him know that he is to bill the royal treasury only. Do this and you will have twice as much upon your return."

The girl looked confused. She nodded her head right along and all but forgot about her serving tray. She was quick to scuttle out and perform her duty. Killian had to bite back a chuckle when he heard a loud crash in the main foyer.

"Why your majesty," he said, "I do believe you've just made that girl's year."

"Her name is Agatha," Regina smiled, "She wants to be a school teacher but her father has grown too sick. She canceled her education to work here in the castle. The least I can do is make certain she's ready to find her happy ending."

Suddenly the hustle and bustle in the rest of the castle made sense. If the queen paid half of her servants as much attention as the girl, so many were working towards their own happy endings. It was a wonder the castle stayed in such spectacular shape when first they found it.

"Speaking of the king," Killian said though he knew they were not. "Where can I find him?"

"Where else?" The queen replied, "The shooting range."

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Robert Rothman was almost finished with locking up his wonderful bank. He casually pulled out his keys, turning off his office lights with one leisurely swipe. He had even successfully turned off each and every desk light upstairs. He whistled as he walked cheerfully down mahogany step after mahogany step. He walked over to turn off the computers that his tellers always left on for him.

Click.

The sound of the door gave him pause. He allowed his fingers to tingle for a moment, basking in the red warmth of his magic. He turned in the direction of the front door. He couldn't help the low chuckle issuing from his lips.

"How can I help you today, Princess?" He said.

Bright blue eyes narrowed into tiny daggers. Both of her fisted hands found home on her hips. Her bottom lip jutted out into an impressive pout, one worthy of her mother. Her right foot started tapping, a harsh sound with those Milano pumps cracking about.

But the girl was impressively silent. She reined in her temper with the cool and collected ease of perfect royalty. With a slight flick of her left wrist auburn curls fluttered to the side. She stepped forward as if this were just a normal everyday transaction. Rothman would be impressed if he didn't recognize the calculated glint in her eyes.

"What brings you here, Cora?" He snapped.

The girl had the nerve to smile triumphantly at him. If he wasn't curious about her actions he'd have killed her already. But his former master did warn him of the many consequences should harm befall any of the children.

And that vicious smirk was exactly like her mother's.

"I've come to make a deal," the redhead said.

Now Rothman's interest was piqued. He turned off the last computer monitor, careful to delete any footage of the newest addition to his heart collection. He stepped around with the air of his forefathers. He paused only at the end of the counter and leaned forward invitingly. His magic buzzed with anticipation.

"I've thought about your offer," the redhead said, "and after all these years I was wondering if it still stands… if I can still-"

"Join me?" Rothman said, "Oh I would love that very much, dear. Your magic is quite powerful and I've always told you it was wasted on them. I could show you many things, many wonderful things. But I must first ask what made you change your mind?"

The redhead's cunning smirk fell away. All that was left were the sad features of her damnable father. Her prim and proper posture collapsed into that of a ruffian undeserving of a crown. Still, Rothman was a smart man. He knew this child had the potential to be just as wonderful as her green mother.

"Our partnership would be quite lucrative," the redhead said, "I have come to realize that is most important of all. I can give you everything you've been missing and more."

She skimmed a careful finger over the countertop, grimacing at the invisible threads of dust she couldn't have found. She flicked one lonely finger away and gave him a piercing gaze with those bright blue eyes. A dull green tinge began to wrap its way around her irises. She stood to her full height, black heels clicking sharply behind her.

"Power has always been more important than blood in my family," the redhead said, "and for the past five years I've been lacking in both. I'm not as naïve about the world as I once was. I know now my mistake in not following you sooner. This battle can only end with one clear winner."

"And exactly which side are you choosing?" Rothman asked, "Surely you don't expect me to just believe every word you say. What are you offering?"

"Besides my power and my loyalty?" The redhead said, "Isn't it obvious what you can give me? I want my revenge… revenge on the people who took me and tried to turn me into something I am not. I want them to suffer as I have suffered."

"What are you saying, Cora?" Rothman asked.

"I'm choosing the winning team. After all…"

She smiled, dimples showing almost as much as her mother's victorious grin. Rothman could practically see the girl's skin coloring green with envy. She snatched her hand in the air and magicked the very pendant he'd been looking for.

"I am my mother's daughter," Cora said.

And with that a new deal was struck.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian felt like an idiot, but Robin Hood looked like one. They were standing; he, the sheriff and the outlaw, in the middle of the forest looking for all the world like fools. David hid behind a tree while Killian was forced to kneel in the bushes.

And the King of Thieves Robin Hood was sitting on a rock shouting out his beloved's name at the top of his lungs.

They were idiots.

"Enough!"

The voice was sharp with anger and hate. No love lingered in those poisoned purple eyes. Even the puffy dress could not distract from the woman who was their Dark Queen.

"What do you want?" She asked sharply, "For what purpose have you called me from my master?"

Her chest rose and fell in gaping heaps. She looked on the verge of passing out. Even the blush on her cheeks lacked its usual red hue. But she was there and that was all that mattered.

"Neal," Robin said.

He reached forward to pull her close. Killian recognized the move enough to know. Regina acted as if burned by the action alone.

She jumped away and screamed. Her head shook violently and she clutched at her temples in misery. The shadow of fear took a moment to ruin her pretty features before all was snapped right back into place.

"My master despises you," Regina said, "Do not presume yourself worthy to touch me, thief!"

The moniker sent a sharp pain through Killian's chest. He remembered how it was used in jest. It was the outlaw's favorite nickname, his beacon in times of great distress. It was a truly sinister thing to turn such a loving embrace into a cruel jab.

"My son is under a spell," David said.

Killian silently cursed him. Then he followed as he was sworn to do. This, he remembered, was why he joined Regina's military.

"You are the only one who can save him," the prince continued, "Please, Regina. What must I do to bring my family back together?"

The queen's dark looks turned sad. Her features found softness. Sharply decorated hands clung tight together to restrain whatever impulse the woman had as a mother and friend.

"Your answer can only be found," she said, "at the false king's death."

Purple plumes enveloped her person before further questions could be asked. Only three men were left to wallow in defeat of their task. Yet despite the lack of answer her message rang clear.

They needed to break the curse.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The arrow hit the target dead center.

A cheering applause erupted from the rafters. Each and every young knight in training scrambled for a better look. There wasn't a lack of movement to be found on any front.

Robin Hood waved from his spot nearly fifty furlongs away. His hand was raised to absorb the praise. But the frown marring his features suggested anything but pleasure. So Admiral Killian Jones did what he always did.

He goaded the king.

"Ah," he scoffed, "You cheated."

The surrounding gasp from all parties was astonishing. To insult the king in front of his many loyal knights was unheard of, blasphemy even. Still Killian wasn't one to bulk to a challenge.

He grinned as he stepped forward, successful in stealing a young boy's bow with ease.

"Now a true marksmen," Killian said, "Doesn't need a magic bow-"

"I'll have you know sir," Robin said, "That my wife made this bow with her own two hands."

"Aye," Killian agreed, "and then she had the savior imbibe it with magic to insure the arrow never misses its mark… and that her king would never be harmed."

The right corner of King Robin's mouth tilted up.

It was a conscious decision to hide the queen's true talents. Cardinal Richelieu was not a superstitious man, nor was magic unheard of in Fantasia. But her history as the Evil Queen made Regina cautious to share her gifts with her subjects.

She and Robin wanted to keep their magic a secret and wait for the land to grow accustomed to their rulers first. It worked well for magic could be practiced on the streets without cause of alarm. Many students even studied under Emma when she wasn't working on messages between her parents' castle and Fantasia itself.

So it was their own private joke whenever those with ears had the chance to overhear.

"But a true marksman," Killian finished quite coyly, "Could shoot an arrow from any bow he was given."

Robin laughed at the challenge.

"Well if my admiral of the sea insists," he said, "Who am I to refuse?"

He was the king and everyone knew that. If anyone had a choice to refuse it was he. Still Robin would not allow his students the chance of mockery.

The king grabbed the bow, a bit smaller than his own prized treasure. He felt the string, pulling it taut and snapping it back thrice in hand. Then he felt the handle and gave it a twirl. It wasn't until he had the arrow's handling upon the bow that he dared to measure his first shot.

A deep breath in couldn't even be heard. His arms flexed with the strength of experience and time. The fletching touched his cheek. And the arrow released.

Fling!

It was dead center, splicing his previous arrow completely.

A new round of applause sounded. No young lad nor old pro stood a chance. All hands smacked together to congratulate their king's prowess.

And Robin being the kind, jovial ruler he was absorbed it all with class.

"You should buy me a drink," he said, "That arrow spliced in half quite beautifully. Not a marksmen in this world nor any other could defeat me."

He smacked his admiral on the back and for a moment they were just two blokes speaking about their adventures. Time stood still. They were free of the weights a kingdom held.

The clapping stilled and time resumed. Only one individual still congratulated the king. He stood from the cushions at the top of the range. His long silken red robes gave him away.

"Your Majesty truly is extraordinary," Cardinal Richelieu said, "Perhaps you should invite Admiral Jones to a duel to prove his achievements in the sword. I hear from quite the reliable source he has gotten a bit rusty."

Killian silently cursed Milady de Winter again for her silver tongue.

"There is no victory when the game is rigged, Cardinal." Hook replied, "And no honor can be found dueling the king."

Cardinal Richelieu gave him an unimpressed sniff. Then he drew his white cloth upon his face as if smelling something quite foul. He stepped closer and Killian rolled his eyes at the sound of a sniffling nose in his direction.

"Forgive me Admiral," Richelieu said, "Were you by chance molested by pigs on your way here? I only ask because your uniform looks insanely intact but there is something quite odorous about that wasn't present until your arrival."

Hook glowered at the man. Robin, the dreadful king that he was, couldn't be bothered to hide his amusement. He unleashed a loud guffawing sound and even slammed the Admiral on the back, hard. Killian's glare turned steady on him.

The king didn't even look contrite, the bastard.

"Tis only the sweet smell of the sea," Hook replied, "Though a man of your stature would smell swine instead. You surround yourself with enough pigs I'm surprised you have any sense of smell at all."

Whatever victory twinkled in the cardinal's eyes was snuffed out. He was an extremely prideful man. Any hit to his ego was taken quite seriously. And oh how he hated the former pirate turned admiral so.

"Alright," Robin said, "If you will excuse me Cardinal, Admiral Jones and I have much business to discuss."

"Yes," the cardinal agreed, "Admiral Jones has been quite late in his arrival."

And because those words alone were not enough to show his power.

"The poor queen fretted so."

Silk red robes disappeared before Killian could even think of a response. His hands formed into iron fists. His heart hammered a mile a minute. Even his poor lips were crushed by the weight of his frown.

"Enough," Robin said, "Deliver your report before I fire you for being a terrible officer."

The threat was nothing. Killian knew it. Still his blood boiled at the implication and his mouth, which was always faster than his honor, ran away from him.

"I'm a terrible officer and you are a terrible husband," he said, "Making yourself publicly seen with Milady de Winter and allowing these disgusting rumors about your wife to remain!"

Robin's happy disposition disappeared. His hands came up and slammed into the former pirate with ease. Easily the king threw his admiral upon the wall. Then the two stood nose to nose, hot breath angrily invading the other's nostrils.

"These rumors," Robin said, "Are false. My wife would never and we both know that. My loyalty to her should never be questioned again… not by you!"

He released the man with a great sigh.

"Now deliver your report before I kill you."

Robin wiped his tunic off as if it wasn't satin. The polyester fibers of his over coat still gleamed in the sunlight. His lack of décor rivaled only his wife. Even she was known to wear expensive jewelry round her neck from time to time. Robin's only luxury was his wedding band.

The perfect complement to his adoring wife.

"Rothbart is indeed responsible for the storms," Killian supplied, "I've already given Regina the information she needs. She and Emma will be working on the countercurse immediately."

"Good. And what of the other matter?"

Killian rolled his eyes. He reached into his coat pocket and removed the envelope. The king broke the stamp without a second thought. His face grew pensive as he read.

"Don't ever ask me to spy for you again," Killian said, "I had to give those bastards quite a few rubies and you know how much I love them."

It was true. Rubies were his favorite. The only thing worse than parting with his giant rubies were the diamonds… and the king made him depart with seven of them.

"The fairies needed the help more than you," Robin said, "Besides, Little John knows he has permission to anything he wishes."

"Aye, except it was Will Scarlet who took them," Killian pouted, "Do you know how many of my precious jewels went to fuel his mead? It isn't fair. That was supposed to be my mead."

Robin rolled his eyes. This was their usual routine. Captain Hook would complain about his departure with jewels and the thief would give him three times his loss. It didn't matter anyway. The jewels would go back to the people one way or another.

"Is it really necessary for you to be seen so publically with Milady de Winter?" Killian asked.

He felt the king bristle by his side. Robin looked all around searching for eaves droppers before nodding his head. With a snap of his fingers they were encased in a warm bubble only the two of them could feel. Killian smiled despite himself.

"I need the Cardinal to think his plan is working," Robin said, "We have yet to discover his true intentions. Until we do there is nothing I or Regina can do. We cannot deprive this kingdom of the one person they've come to trust. Not yet. Too many lives are at stake."

"Of that I understand," and Killian did, "but what is the price?"

Robin bowed his head and shrugged.

"My family is the only thing I care about," he said, "I will defend them to my dying breath."

Killian had an odd flashback to long ago. His heart squeezed at the painful reminder of his reunion with Emma, in a quiet cemetery with a fresh grave. He returned from the Underworld only to discover his friend had died, defending two of the three women he was destined still to love.

"I will not take the chance of losing them to some Cardinal's wicked schemes."

The admiral nodded his head in agreement.

"Which is what my next job for you entails."

 _Wait, what?_

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

Killian was once in wonderful shape. There was no reason why his breath was coming in short, sharp bursts. Running was part of life in Storybrooke.

Yet he was wheezing from the brisk pace from the woods to the center of Storybrooke.

A crowd had already formed. Every citizen both cursed and not found their way to the great spectacle before the clock tower. There wasn't an inch of blacktop uncovered by the curious people they were sworn to protect.

The only space available for movement stood in the intersection of main street, where Prince Neal of the White Castle now stood. Though his dress was a tailored black suit instead of a jewel encrusted clothes, he stood as if commanding an army. The dagger gleamed in his vicious hands his sword in this case.

"Welcome," Ryan King said, "My people it is time for you to learn the truth. But is the savior wise enough to listen?"

He waited on baited breath. His whole form shook as he waited for his sister to join him as expected. Still no movement came and the disappointment was undeniable upon his face.

"Or does she wish to formally admit herself a traitor and side with the very one responsible for our misery?" Ryan screamed for all to hear.

The crowd parted like a sea. Blonde hair appeared like a crashing wave. The red jacket signaled the first drops of blood in the waters of war.

"I'm here Neal," she said.

The crowd gave a collective gasp. Soft whispers filled the space where silence once stood. It was only as Ryan raised the dagger violently overhead that the village voices fell silent again.

"I've been waiting so long for this moment," Ryan said, "You're finally ready to hear the truth."

"Just because you believe it doesn't make it true," Emma snarled.

"That's exactly what makes it so," Ryan replied.

He stepped towards the crowd and smiled. The people backed away from the vicious dagger in fear and he reveled in it. The very man who took after Snow White cooing at the birds unable to fly from their nests with broken wings he now stood with evil on his lips.

A single child found itself separated from the crowd. The young boy looked as a deer in the headlights. His brown face stood agape with fear. His big brown eyes were wide and leaking. His whole tiny being shook as the man with the dagger approached.

"Perhaps I should teach a lesson in belief," Ryan said, "Perhaps I should show you true power."

White smoke appeared between the prince and the boy. Emma's hands rose with twin fireballs in her grasp. Anger marred her gorgeous features in such an ugly way. Killian felt his heart ache at it.

"You're fight is with me, little brother," she said, "Leave them out of this!"

Ryan King bowed as if commanded by his king. He stepped back arms raised high in surrender. His smile turned genteel for the boy's sake. The boy naturally ran away to his crying mother.

"Calm down, sis," Ryan said, "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member."

His blue eyes peeled through the crowd, lighting on a lonely figure.

"Wouldn't you agree?"

 _What is he talking about?_ Killian thought.

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked.

A strange happy grin appeared on the young prince's face. He gave the crowd another vigorous tour with his eyes before landing specifically to that same spot in the crowd. The tension grew with the vicious grin.

"Ah," Ryan said, "so you haven't told them your little secret. That's alright. Now's your chance."

His blue eyes never peeled away from his victim and the crowd reacted in kind. They pulled apart, heads swiveling in search of his intended audience. Still no answer came.

"Tell them," Ryan encouraged, "Tell them all!"

The brunette's arms rose high in the air. He brandished the dagger like his own personal weapon. He pointed it to Emma as if asking her the very question.

"Who is responsible for Snow White's death?"

Silence.

Pure, haunting silence filled the center of Storybrooke. No sound could penetrate the heartbreak that one question made. Every citizen simply absorbed the news. Various degrees of miserable, calm, fearful silence filled the air all around.

A single body stepped forward.

Heads turned as one to stare at the raven haired girl who dared to rise to the challenge. A false look of bravado forced Odette's chin to stubbornly rise into the air. Her shoulders straightened. Her royal presence commanded all attention.

"I am," she said.

The commiserating groan was something the girl had expected. Tears glistened in her eyes but still she kept her head held high.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

The trap was set and he was stuck with a very moody Emma Swan. The blonde paced from one side of the secluded cabin to another without even a glance up. She made Killian's head swim.

"Love, please," Hook cried, "give the floor a rest and sit. Whatever Robin's plan we can surely wait another moment."

Emma's pale cheeks turned pink. It was the first of many signs for Killian Jones. The second sign of her guilt lay in the way her green eyes dulled to a cruel turquoise. Then her fingers bound themselves into a fidgeting mess before her.

"Swan," Killian growled.

The savior's hands jumped apart, darting under her bottom immediately. The rosy color grew upon her cheeks. Her bottom lip tucked itself dangerously between her teeth.

"Emma," he said.

Green eyes rolled a sure sign of defeat. Her hands rose as if to placate. She even stepped forward to throw a seductive glance his way.

"It's not what you think," she began.

"Emma," he repeated.

"Okay so I may have accidentally dropped your letter and pretended it belonged to the queen," she said, "in front of one of the servants."

Killian rolled his eyes. It wasn't fair. He was now torn on who to kill first. His wife was a certain possibility but the king was the one responsible for all of this.

"Love," he tried.

"Okay so it was more than one servant and it was Tink who suggested it was Regina's letter and Milady and Rochefort may have overheard us. And it may have accidentally been on purpose to see if they would rise to the bait and the next thing I know I'm being booked into this room with you because they…"

"Because Robin knew they would want to prove the queen is being unfaithful," Killian scowled.

The disgust in his voice made his poor wife flinch but he couldn't bring himself to care. Instead he simply wanted to glare and make her squirm longer. He was certain there was a punishment suitable for the crime. Perhaps he could even get her to cater to his every whim for a day.

It was a tempting thought.

"And it's not like Robin isn't looking for any excuse to rub his superiority into Rochefort's face," Emma said, "You know how much he hates the bastard. Can't really blame him with the way he keeps mooning over Regina and all that."

"Love," Killian cried, "I'm tabling this unfaithful behavior for later."

"Really?" Emma beamed.

Her rosy cheeks grew wide with that brilliant smile. And dammit Killian's heart filled with triumph at the sight. It would be his wife's plan to use that against him. At least he still had his king to punish, and it would be a good one too.

Perhaps he could convince the archer to a game of swordplay.

But his lips were soon bombarded by the sweet nectar of his wife. Emma Swan pulled away his shirt and scraped her nails lightly upon every inch of chest revealed. Hook, being the ever chivalrous husband, joined her.

He had her corset undone with ease, experience his true weapon in the war lovers rage. Together they rolled upon the sheets a mess of limbs and heated kisses. Somehow her hand made its way between them and his pants found themselves untied and wrapped firmly about his ankles.

Yes, his wife was due for a punishment and he had the perfect plan forming already…

Before the thought could truly marinate, the door was bombarded with a harsh pounding. Emma squeaked, surprisingly startled from whatever plans her wickedness had in store. She oddly chose to roll over the bed as her exit strategy. She hid away in the wardrobe not too far away.

Killian of course couldn't find a care in the world. Instead he greeted his visitors with a cheeky, his trousers firmly pulled round his ankles and manhood bulging from his underwear. He even folded his arms and leant against the four-poster.

Rochefort had his sword drawn already. He was preceded by King Robin Hood himself. The king held a strong scowl on his features and had blue sparks whipping from his fingertips. From behind both men a flurry of musketeers entered the room and tore it to shambles.

"Gently boys, this is at the king's expense after all."

That voice sent Killian's smarmy smirk to ruin. He scowled and reluctantly raised his trousers. Milady de Winter entered with the very air of one above such tavern debauchery. She even paused at the bed to scrub away the dust before sitting down, her pink petticoat puffing out at a scandalous angle.

It took no time at all for Emma to be found. She apparently spent her time dressing during the search. Upon her lithe frame stood a white robe clearly in need of a good wash. Her blonde locks were still loose and flowing freely. Her rosy cheeks should have given them away immediately.

Robin holding her missing corset should have also been a clue.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hook snarled, "Why is it that you interrupted me and my wife so rudely, your majesty?"

Rochefort stumbled for a response while Milady looked mildly annoyed. Yet Robin was clearly furious. The blue sparks in his hands shot out at a vicious height. He even dared smash the closest vase in his anger.

"Where is the queen, Rochefort?" Robin said, "I don't see her here and you promised she would be."

"The queen is preparing for young Roland's birthday," Emma said, "The party in his honor is merely a week away. Surely you remember your own son's special day."

The silent smirk was added purely for those who knew her. That evil glint in her green eyes told the story Killian didn't already have. This was part of the act. Suddenly the sparks and anger made sense.

"Your majesty," Rochefort tried.

"Truly you have forgotten yourself!" Robin said, "For I see no queen romancing my Admiral. Instead I see him bedding his wife as I expected. No treason is to be found, Rochefort!"

The Cardinal's lackey bent his head, confusion written so plainly upon his features. He shuffled his foot from right to left and back again. His silken dress seemed to lose its shimmer with every snicker the musketeers released his way.

It was Milady who took pity on the poor man. She refreshed her pink petticoat and refastened her ridiculous hat. The wretched woman rose to her feet with the grace and poise of a queen, grabbing the captain's arm as she went.

"Clearly Rochefort was mistaken about the meaning of the letter, your majesty," she said, "I find it so kind of you to release my dear friend with a warning. I can promise you this mistake won't happen again."

"See to it, Milady," Robin replied.

The pair was out of the door, musketeers following them in giggling bursts. The room was devoid of all but the royal family.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

"No!"

The strange croak of a voice belonged to the savior. Blonde hair flew in her rush to the brunette. Red leather clasped firm to green, nails digging angrily into the forest skin.

"It's not true," Emma begged, "Tell me it's not true."

But the girl's features told the story plain as day. Her pale complexion grew transparent. Her bright blue eyes dulled with pain. Even her raven locks took on a much darker light. Green shoulders slouched rough with defeat.

"It's true," Odette said.

"You see," Ryan shouted in triumph, "She admits it! Murderer!"

The young prince whipped the onlookers into a great frenzy. Names, horrible atrocious things were being shouted at the princess. Cries of shock and anger begged for the girl's head. Yet it was the savior who fought them back, the daughter of the slain called out for peace.

"No!" Emma said, "Listen. We haven't heard the full story-"

"It was an accident," Odette cried.

"If it weren't for you Snow White would still be alive," Ryan said, "Do you deny it?"

"No," Odette said.

"Then you're guilty!"

The crowd was in agreement. The girl was surrounded by the very people she was sworn to protect. Emma was torn away from her and roughly shoved to the side. Many looked at the savior in pity, unable to fully understand her true distress of the news delivered.

"Oh dear," Ryan said, "You're in trouble again. Only this time Mother isn't here to save you."

He pulled out the Dark One's dagger and pointed it dangerously towards his prey. The crowd dispersed at the sight. A straight line formed between accuser and his foe. Ryan pulled the dagger up close to Odette's pale throat.

"And now everyone knows why," he said.

Just as he pulled back his dagger, green smoke arrived. It pilfered its way between the two until nothing could be seen at all. When the smoke finally dissolved, angry red curls and bright blue eyes remained.

"You weren't even going to say hello first," Annie Hart said, "That wasn't exactly what I was expecting."

The citizens stared at her. Even Killian was shocked by the black dress about her shoulders. The witch's hat was a dead giveaway to who she was channeling at the moment.

This was the daughter of the wicked witch.

"What does a witch have to do to get your attention?" Annie asked.

She raised her hands up high, fireballs sparkling at the ends. The crowd stepped back in silent horror. Still, it was Odette who looked most pleased.

"What took you so long?" She asked.

Annie then turned to her, but no smile adorned her features. There was only coldness in those crisp blue eyes. A hand shot out and gently caressed the younger woman's face.

Odette's happy features turned into a sharp frown. Her dimpled cheeks were slammed together into an unexpected pout, Hart's sharp green nails digging into her cheeks. There was no tenderness as the redhead squeezed.

"I'm not here for you, dear," Annie said.

She stepped back. Her hand reached towards Ryan King and he took it in his grasp in reverence. Annie Hart stooped low into a gracious bow. Then she kissed the man's hand in respect.

"I've come to offer my services," she said, "All hail the one true king."

They disappeared in a violent flash of green.

The citizens of Storybrooke watched in silent horror as green smoke mixed with blue. It was the raven haired girl who broke through that wretched smoke. She raced forward as if still hoping the pair remained. She looked up towards the heavens; then all around.

There was no sign of the redhead or the prince.

"I will find you," Odette called out.

Her voice was a shrill scream in the wind. Citizens whispered quietly to themselves but she paid them no heed. Her only obligation was the duo who left her in the town center.

"I will always find you," she said, "and when I do…"

Her gaze stopped. Killian found his blue eyed gaze landing just as hers did, on a single standing mirror. Odette's dimples pulled back into a heated stare. She stepped forward with purpose.

Her stance was that of a queen.

"I shall destroy your happiness if it is the last thing I do."

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

"Richelieu will not be pleased," Milady said, "You promised him the world and failed to deliver."

Rochefort was pacing the bedroom, refusing to pause even for a moment. His hands were sharp fists at his side and his coat was already thrown away, discarded to the lonesome chair in the corner of the bedroom. His eyepatch was the only portion of his person properly presentable.

"We were played," he explained, "That sniveling savior and the infernal fairy knew or our plans."

"Your plans Rochefort," Milady replied, "as far as the king is concerned I am merely an innocent in all of this."

She applied lipstick to her flawless lips. A quick pinky checked that her make-up was still n perfect order. Then she snapped her pink pocket mirror closed.

"And it must stay that way if the Cardinal's plan is to come to fruition," she growled.

Rochefort rolled his eyes. This was always the same story with them. He did all of the work and she took all of the credit. He was not her man. His loyalty was to the Cardinal, a man of which they were both under employ.

"You keep the king distracted," Rochefort said, "I will make certain the queen feels the lonesome whip of a cold bed."

"Is that the plan?" Milady asked, "To part the king and queen so you can swoop in as the hero she so desperately needs?"

Rochefort chuckled.

"You know the Cardinal," he said, "He always gets what he wants."

He gave her a self-satisfied grin. His bright red coat fell back upon his shoulders. Then he pulled the elaborate golden buttons closed. He straightened his collar and presented himself before the lady in pink with a humble bow.

"If the queen's bed is what he wants," he said, "the queen's bed is what he shall have."

He departed the room with another gracious bow and his hat thrusted high upon his head. Milady de Winter silently counted the minutes of his departure. She then gracefully pulled a coin from her pocket purse and made way to the door herself. A satisfied smile fell upon her lips just as the door closed.

With the wave of his hand, Robin Hood closed the mirror. He wasn't to blame for the large crack in the middle of it. His anger was only rivaled by the queen herself. His magic, in response, could only contain itself for so long. It was very fortunate only the mirror suffered.

"Those bastards," he said.

It was the only thing he could say. Of that Killian was well aware. The man was practically turning purple with his rage. The color of his wife's magic even infiltrated the damned tattoo, a purple lion roaring at the top of its lungs.

Roaring at the top of its lung?

"Bloody hell mate," Killian cried, "Shut that thing up before they find us!"

But the lion continued to sound. The king couldn't even stop it no matter how hard he tried. His inner anger was fully unleashed upon them. The tattoo was simply a representation of his true feelings.

"Oh dammit Robin!"

It was Emma's magic that soothed the beast. Her white wisps curled onto the tattoo until it became a purring kitten once more. The purple of king and mark subsided at the savior's kind touch.

Robin Hood sat upon the unmade bed his head hung low as if in defeat. His fingers still quaked and every once in a while Killian could see tiny sparks shooting off his nail tips. Admiral Hook felt the need to make his thoughts known.

"You know," he said, "I'm kind of insulted."

Emma and Robin's head snapped towards him. He saw green eyes narrow unpleasantly while blue eyes peeled back in disbelief. Killian had to fight hard to bite back the smirk wanting to form on his lips.

"Here I am with the most beautiful wife in the world and everybody wants the bloody queen," he said.

Emma's green eyes softened with amusement. The same could not be said for Robin Hood. The king's blue eyes turned cold as ice. A thunder took over in those cold blue eyes, a dark storm of anger and silent rage.

"What?" He rasped.

Even his voice was deep and hard.

"Well we know the arse doesn't want in the queen's bed literally," Hook sighed, "The man simply recognizes Regina's significance as an ally. I am merely wondering why no one is interested in my wife. Emma would be a wonderful ally and I know for certain she makes the best bedfellow."

A soft huff erupted through the air. Robin Hood was finally able to feel amusement again. The admiral's goal was finally obtained. The light was back in those bright blue eyes.

"Alright," Emma said, "We know what the Cardinal wants. Now what?"

"Now," Robin said, "We try and catch him in the act."

* * *

Somewhere in Fantasia – before the curse

The Cardinal held his red handkerchief to his nose. His beautiful leather boots were officially ruined. It was possible he even had to contact his tailor at the end of this meeting. He could practically feel the muck on his finest silks.

 _He better show_ , Richelieu thought.

And just like magic, the man appeared. His black cloak was tattered bits. Red patches showcased the lack of money and prestige the once rich man held. Still, the pink scar over his left eye suggested anything but a calm man.

"Your Majesty," the Cardinal bowed, "Such an honor to behold your-"

"Save it," Rothbart said, "Have you achieved our goal?"

At this Richelieu grimaced. It was far too early for such horrid news. Still it was his job to inform the king and inform he shall.

"I'm afraid we have underestimated your beloved queen," he said, "Even Milady seems unable to completely charm the king away from the marriage bed. Though I assure you it isn't from a lack of trying."

Only a fool would believe the woman wasn't a master in the arts. The king had already confessed to his confused feelings that very morning. It wouldn't be long until his honor failed him. Milady sure was the woman she promised and so much more.

But the queen, her loyalty would not fail. The harder she was tested the more she prevailed. If it didn't harm the Cardinal's pride so much, he'd be impressed by her resilience.

"Regina will be mine," Rothbart said, "You need not fear. It is that false king I need out of the way. You must break her confidence in him. It is essential to my plans."

The Cardinal bowed as was expected of him.

"Perhaps if you explained your plans I would be of better assistance," he suggested.

The madman rolled his eyes. A careless wave of his hand told the Cardinal the truth of his thoughts. He was just a minor player, but even a pawn had its place on the chess board.

"May I ask then," the Cardinal said, "What use you have of me this evening?"

"Simple," Rothbart said, "There is a box stored in the very chambers of my enemy. I need your spy to steal it for me."

"Of course my lord," Richelieu said.

He bowed again as the madman disappeared. Red smoke uncurled and all that was left was a picture of the very thing he needed. A drawing of a heart pierced by a sword, a crest of most peculiar familiarity, stood out on the very top of a black box. The inscription on the bottom merely read:

 _The Queen of Hearts_

Richelieu looked all around to ensure no one was around. It would not do for his plans to make way to the king. The peasantry was too in love with him to see the truth. Robin Hood was no king, an imposter on the throne to placate their feeble minds. It was only Richelieu they could trust.

And soon it would be Richelieu who would rule.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The townline wasn't nearly as silent as it should have been. Rothman, Ryan King and Annie Hart were all waiting with baited breath. The time was almost quarter past eight. Soon their last chess piece would find his way home.

Just as the clock tower began its chime, headlights appeared in the distance. The raging vehicle didn't even stop to gawk at the three strangers standing in the middle of the street. If anything the driver only pushed harder on the accelerator.

He arrived in a plume of colored smoke. His shabby cabbie turned a complete 180. Then it came to a screeching stop just as the townline descended into darkness.

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:**

Flashbacks show Odette struggling in the Land Without Magic. Storybrooke has its own problems as the battle between good and evil threatens to overtake the new savior of Storybrooke. More problems arise when yet another new face comes to play; Rothbart's son Derrick Prince of Darkness.


	17. Evil Born Evil Made

**A/N:** Bonus points to anybody who recognizes the names. Pay careful attention because a hint to future chapters is on its way. Extra warning: There will be a small hiatus for the publishing of the prequel that tells the story of how Robin Hood lives because we definitely need that for this story... period. Enjoy!

* * *

New York City – Four Years Ago

Laughing filled the hallways of Browning Prep School Academy. There wasn't an inch of its fabled stone halls that didn't reverberate the obnoxious sound. Odette's head hung low to avoid its awful sound.

They were pointing at her again. She didn't have to look up to know. The laughter and the mocking filled the whole hallway everywhere she stepped. Everyone hated her.

The other girls found her odd. Instead of wearing ponytails or a bun, she wore braids. They didn't make fun of Millicent Bulstrode for her braid. Of course, the blonde only had one draped delicately over her left side to hide away hickeys and the like. Odette always liked to wear two Dutch braids that intersected like an x in the middle.

The other girls liked to wear their short skirts with tall socks instead of the code appropriate stockings. Their shoes often threatened the height requirement, pushing those two inches until they were almost just shy of three. They wore make-up and untucked their shirts whenever they could. The top two buttons were always undone.

Odette wasn't like them. She obeyed the rules. She wore her stockings, white as the code recommended. Her skirt did not slide any farther than mid-thigh and only on hot summer days. Her sweater was never untucked and her buttons remained to the collar as instruction said. Her only flare for rebellion was that she wore her riding boots to every class. The teachers, impressed by her restraint and humbled by her quietness, allowed her this one victory.

But the girls of Browning Prep were not as forgiven as their wise teachers. Instead they flaunted their distaste of the girl known simply as, "the Swan orphan" and left her be. She had no friends and none would come her way if any of the girls had any say in that.

The boys however did not get the message. Odette Loche was constantly flocked by those of the opposite sex, harassed by them every waking moment of school. She tried to pay them no mind but the young men found ways to introduce themselves to her company.

Sabastian Bux often became her lab partner in biology class. Lucas Gottfried often stalked her in the cafeteria during lunch. Jared Howe once got himself into detention because he kept switching seats just to be close to her.

But none were as vicious nor as awful as Dennis Richard III.

He was the true monster, the villain of the story. His legacy status at the Academy gave him access to anything and everything. He was on the football team, the basketball team, the swim team and the baseball team. He led the charge for every sport he played and he was in line to be the next great senator of the state, after his father of course.

He was also Odette's gym partner.

"You won't defeat me, Princess," Dennis said.

Odette rolled her eyes. She ignored the gym coach's exasperated groan of disapproval. Instead she focused on her opponent. His right foot pointed to the left. Odette kindly moved her sabre to her right. The blow came.

No points were given due to the more than obvious block. His toes turned to point him in the opposite direction. Odette nearly groaned at his obviousness. She stepped forward just to be sure he hit the mark.

He still missed so she tapped herself to make the buzzer sound.

"Another point for me," Dennis said.

He sounded proud, and flustered. Odette had to smile and nod at him just like the other fools. Dennis had already defeated everyone else. This was meant to be the end of the practice rounds. Soon a tournament would begin and everyone was expected to participate.

The buzzer sounded again and Odette had to bite down on her bottom lip hard. This time Dennis earned the point by sacrificing his footing. If she wanted to be cruel, she could have flicked him onto his rump before the whole school.

Still she was the freak and she had to play her part.

"Alright hit the showers!" Coach McCrory said.

The vast consensus squealed in delight. Odette was left to actually serve assistance. She picked up the used equipment as was expected of all the students before retiring to the locker room.

"Your footing is sure Ms. Loche," the coach said, "You should have more confidence in yourself. You could easily win this tourney with your eyes closed if you truly wanted."

Odette politely smiled at the compliment but ignored it. That was the very last thing she wanted to do. Fitting in wasn't about exceeding expectations and it certainly wasn't rubbing people's noses in their failures. Her purpose was to observe the commoners and serve them better. She didn't need to gloat about her fortunes before them.

She was only meant to rule with kindness and understanding.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

 _Impossible._

That was the only thing Emma Swan could think of as she stared at the giant wall before her. It wasn't even an ice wall. At least she had experience with that. No this… this piece of garbage was something worse.

It belonged on a castle not in Storybrooke.

A few ravens called out as they soared through the sky. They made one of the giant black turrets their home. The soft hoot of owls in the distance suggested they weren't the only flying bird in the area.

 _Rothbart, that bastard. He did this! How did he do this?_

The answer should have been less surprising.

"Regina," Robin said, "He had her reinforce the spell on the townline."

Emma had a few choice words for that bastard. She could feel her magic spiking through her veins. If she wasn't so on edge already, this surely beat the cake. She had never hated someone so much in her life.

"Rothbart!" She screamed out, "Show yourself, you coward!"

Nothing happened. He didn't suddenly fly in in his owl form. He didn't put on a show of red smoke and say hello. He simply ignored her call in favor of whatever dark plan he had.

"Lord Rothbart, I command you!" The savior called, "Show yourself now or there will be consequences to pay!"

Still nothing happened. Roland rolled his eyes which was unhelpful. Henry just stared at her as if she was missing her head. Even David Nolan, her father and the great Prince Charming who never gives up hope, looked skeptical at her approach.

"We're supposed to be breaking the curse," Odette said, "Not staring at a wall that will disappear the moment we break said curse. You can't break the spell Emma. Stop wasting time and let's get a move on."

Well fine, they could be skeptical all they wanted. She was going to get her way. A devilish smile took up her features. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed her husband standing up a bit straighter, fear playing on his own face.

"Fine," she said, "Don't show. Hide yourself away like the mangy coward you have always been. Be my guest and rot for all I care! Nothing you do will make a difference."

Then that smile grew as she delivered her final blow.

"After all, you will never be king, Septimus!"

"No need to shout!"

Red smoke pulled away to reveal the man in question. His same stupid black suit somehow sparkled brighter now. He even had platinum cufflinks!

The evil banker held up his cell phone. He shook it and even snapped it open and closed three times. Yet his black eyes blazed with his anger.

"I'm only a phone call away," he said.

He snapped the phone closed once more and silence followed. Emma felt the hackles of her neck scrunch. Her teeth bared themselves despite her best efforts. Hate burned away at her eyes, the very eyes she was gifted by her own mother.

One of those treacherous stings fell down her cheek at that lonely thought.

"What do you want?" Emma asked.

The surprise on the madman's face made Emma want to slap it away.

"It was you who called me," he said.

His black eyes turned to the beautiful stone turrets of his creation. He smiled in quiet pride. Then he turned to Odette as if it were his right.

"Aren't they beautiful?" He said, "They were your sister's design."

The girl's blue eyes narrowed. Her nostrils flared. Soft manicured hands turned to bitter fists at her side. Still she made no move to attack.

"Of course your mother had to reinforce the magic to keep you from leaving," Rothbart continued, "You understand that we can't have you running around in the land without magic. You could get hurt."

"Stop," Emma growled.

Odette had the patience of saint but the savior did not. This was her family he was messing with and she wouldn't allow it. The teasing glint in that man's eyes burned her more than anything in the world. Despite the giant hole he wanted between Emma Swan and her goddaughter, Snow White's death would not be blamed on family.

"My stepdaughter needs to learn the truth of this world, Ms. Swan," Rothbart said, "It is my duty to teach her. So a lesson I must pass upon you all is in order."

Before action could even be taken, everyone was frozen where they stood. A black box with a knifed heart appeared in the madman's hands. He seemed truly sad as he turned to his target.

"I had hoped you would learn this lesson earlier," he said, "Please know how much it pains me to do this once again."

He opened the box and from it blackness poured. Odette tried to jump out of the way but her feet too were frozen. She was hit square in the chest with the powerful spell. Then movement returned and the madman was gone.

Robin ran towards his youngest child and searched her all over for injuries. Henry and Roland crouched at her side at a loss for what to do next. It was only David and Emma who stood aside watching and waiting for what came next.

"I'm fine," Odette grumbled, "I don't know what the hell he did."

She sounded so much like her mother Emma couldn't help but laugh. She stepped forward to reach out a helping hand. The hand was yanked back when she realized why the boys were so worried.

The dress was pure silk and emerald encrusted. A small trail of diamonds catered and cinched the waistline. Lace decorated the cuffs and neck. Raven hair was pinned away into a half-pony that made the girl appear somehow younger.

"Okay," Odette said, "I think we need to ask Rumpelstiltskin what kind of spell this is."

* * *

New York City – Then

The morning bell rang just as loudly as usual. Odette ignored the snickers from the other girls as she walked into the room, her riding boots still firmly in place. Coach McCrory unleashed a harsh blow on her whistle.

"Loche," she said, "You know the rules. Change into your sneakers and report back to me. You're now competing last."

Odette smirked and did as told. She didn't dilly-dally as some of the other girls often did. She simply changed her shoes and wondered who she'd battle in the first round. Would she beat them into submission? Or would she practice leniency as her father wished?

Only time would tell.

"Alright Loche," the coach said, "You're up."

Apparently she was facing Dennis again. Odette rolled her eyes as she moved to the battle field. It was more than obvious Dennis would lead with an attack. His right foot was already outturned in anticipation of the thrust. All Odette had to do was parry it and thrust her own attack to win the round.

The call came out for attack and Odette blocked it easily. If she stepped to her left, Dennis would be open for attack. He would follow because he didn't believe in strategy. Odette could have this round won with a quick two blows to his head and another to his sternum. He wouldn't even see it coming.

She stepped back and watched his follow up glance right on by. A quick two-step forward and her back was hit, her butt catching the point at an obvious angle.

"Stop!" McCrory called, "Stop playing Loche. You stuck that fanny out on purpose. I will not have you forfeiting because of attitude. Fence."

And she did. She dodged the next two attacks with ease and even deflected the third to make it look good. Dennis was well on his way to a horrid defeat if Odette attacked at all. But Robin Hood's voice was always whispering in her ear, telling her that victory was only important if the opponent was worthy of the fight.

The buzzer sounded with two points in Dennis' favor. He needed a shot to the head and another to the hand to win. He was already aiming for her left shoulder and she leaned into its touch. He was going for the easy target, the larger area. Yet his footing was already scrambled and he was on the verge of knocking over.

Odette flicked her wrist and the buzzer sounded. A giant gasp filled the air but she didn't care. Tapping his head got the jock's attention. Dennis was now aware of his sacrifice and thinking more with his brain instead of his brawn. His feet were still giving away his next point of attack, her head now and from the right side too. But he at least checked his footing before going right into it.

The girl allowed the blow purely because he learned the lesson she wished to bestow.

"Match!" McCrory called, "You'll get the next one, Loche. Richard moves on."

Odette removed her helmet and reached out a hand. Dennis ignored her completely. He screamed about his win directly in her face and jumped up and down with joy. The girl silently seethed.

 _Revenge is always best served cold my dear_ , her mother's voice whispered. _In due course the boy will be on the road to his own ruin and you will be happy. Happiness is the only thing that matters in this world or any other._

Dennis went off to revel in his victory while Odette was left to nurse her wounds on the sidelines.

"You let him win."

Odette tensed at the voice. The boy was barely older than her and yet still in the same class. His name was Derrick Prince, a new transfer from some big named school across the country. His sandy blonde locks were gelled to the left side of his face and his chiseled chin always had exactly two inches of scruff, well against the school code.

His shirt was always untucked. He never wore a tie. The vest he was supposed to wear had two buttons instead of the standard three though how would one know when he never bothered to button them either. Any time they were out on a field trip he refused to wear his cap or jacket. It was a miracle he even bothered to wear his slacks at all with their buttons undone above the knee.

The girl opened her mouth to argue with the boy but he interrupted her.

"I know you did," he said, "You saw his footing. You had to take three steps just to get him in a position to take the head shot. You were invading his space so often he couldn't not hit you. I'm impressed he lasted so long."

Odette opened her mouth. She wanted to explain. It was for his own good. She already knew what she was doing. She didn't need the lessons.

The boy wouldn't have it.

"Why let him win?" He asked, "He's just going to rub it into your face along with his friends. Wouldn't it be easier just to beat him down to size?"

"There is no victory in the easy course of action," Odette replied, "I have been dancing with swords since birth. Dennis is just learning. To revel in his defeat is nothing more than stealing candy from an innocent babe. There is no point other than meanness and I promised my mother I would never be mean."

Derrick seemed impressed. His blonde jaw tightened just a bit. He crossed his arms and his blue eyes sparkled as they took her in. A bob of his head was the only reply she received. Then he was gone just as quickly as he came.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The girl had a harsh limp. The heels decorating her feet were at least ten inches high. She looked in absolute agony with every step she took. But when she, Emma or even Robin used magic to remove the clothes and change the shoes, a new outfit took its place. Odette decided the first one wasn't quite as bad.

"I can't believe mom actually wore this crap," she complained, "How the hell am I supposed to fight in this getup?"

Emma rolled her eyes while Henry and Roland chuckled. If she wasn't so scared she'd probably laugh too. The fact Odette's first thought in a fight was never magic was a small comfort.

"Magic darling," Robin said, "Your mother used magic to fight. It allowed her to be the more fashionable adversary."

Odette rolled her eyes at the comment. She hitched her skirts up to an almost scandalous level. Then she twirled her ankles and sighed in relief at the harsh snapping sounds.

"Why?" she grumbled.

"Believe it or not," David said, "Appearing in full royal dress was actually quite a terrifying sight. It always made a few dozen of my men quiver in fear that she didn't even bother to dress for war. Snow used to find it amusing."

A lance of pain fell on everyone's faces. So Emma ignored the obvious questions blazing in her father's eyes. She opened the pawnshop door and shouted out with all of her might.

"Gold!"

He appeared of course. His cane clacked angrily on the wooden floor. His display case now held a stronger bit of glass. And his arm was no longer in a sling.

"How can I be of service, dearies," he said.

His gold eyes caught onto the sight of Odette. A bright smile pulled on his features. Then he pulled himself into a steep bow and even chuckled in amusement.

"You must forgive me, your highness," he said, "Had I known who you really were I'd have known better than to cross you."

Odette scowled in reply.

"You look just as beautiful as your mother when she was your age," he explained.

This time it was Roland who scowled. Robin stepped forward between the imp and his daughter. A spark of blue appeared in his hand, bubbling like the warning it was meant to be.

"Grandpa," Henry said, "we need your help."

"Yes," Rumple replied, "I can see that, Henry. If the princess would kindly step forward I may be of better use."

Odette refused naturally. She even petulantly stepped away from the man and towards the exit. It was David who pushed her forward. The glare of betrayal sent his way did more than suggest her intentions towards him in the future.

Rumpelstiltskin went to work immediately. He began by observing the girl's cheekbones, now colored with a light bronze to better highlight her eyes. He checked the length of her skirt and even tried a few bits of her hair, curling it around his finger and watching her features for a reaction.

"I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done," he said.

"What?"

All three of the Mills-Hood boys yelled out at once. Robin stepped forward threateningly, his magic spiking with every step. But the imp would not be cowed he knew what he was talking about.

"Your body, heart and magic are at war," he explained, "You have been exposed to the darkness and it is trying to win your soul."

"Well don't just stand there, imp," Odette said, "Stop it!"

Right before their very eyes Odette's raven locks changed. A whirl of diamonds encased themselves into elaborate curls. Now the girl's hair resembled that of someone prepared for prom.

"There are literally diamonds all over your head," Roland said, "I can feed entire countries with it."

"But I prefer emeralds," Odette huffed.

Her sadness soon turned amazed. She raised her fingers and Emma found her own mouth falling agape. There were emeralds at the very tips of her fingers, decorating her nails and making them shimmer and shine.

"That's how it started with your mother," Rumpelstiltskin said, "First she became extremely vain with her appearance-"

"Her outfit was the only thing she could control," Odette agreed, "She told me."

"She knew she would never have Leopold's love so she tried to make herself the most beautiful doll in the kingdom," the imp said, "I was going to stop it but a vision showed me the attention would turn against her so I allowed it."

"You made her believe she was no more than a doll?" Odette gasped, "No wonder she hates you."

This time her clothes took a more drastic approach. Her neckline lowered and the lace increased. She now had diamonds decorating her cleavage and nothing else. She scowled at her own magic's show.

"Careful dearie, you're on a slippery slope."

Robin grabbed Gold by his shoulders and slammed him into the nearest desk. If Emma wasn't so busy trying to calm him down she might have noticed Odette's happy smile. Instead she had to pry the outlaw away and hope her nephew and son didn't get any bright ideas.

"How do we stop it?" Robin said.

"We can't," Rumple replied, "The girl has been infected. As I told your wife many years ago, once the darkness tastes you it won't stop til it's finished the feast."

His eyes almost looked at her in pity.

"She can no more escape her fate than her mother now," he finished.

"I'm not like you," Odette said, "I will never be like you."

"Ooh," Mr. Gold said, "Feeling a little persecuted are we? That's just how your mother felt right before she took the plunge into darkness."

"And met the insipid fairy that showed her the lion tattoo of her soulmate," Odette replied.

She left then in a huff. She was unaware how her train extended and glittered. Nor did she notice the slight change her hemline. But the rest of her family did and they refused to let her fall.

* * *

New York City – Then

The tourney was in full swing. Many others failed to defeat the powerful might of Dennis Richard III. Even fewer were able to keep up with Derrick Prince. Poor Sabastian Bux ended up in the infirmary when his sabre broke and threatened to gouge out his eyeball. Jared Howe twisted his ankle trying to keep his balance. Even Lucas Gottfried ended his round with a few new bruises.

It was down to the final two: Derrick Prince against Dennis Richard.

Money was exchanged against regulations. Coach McCrory simply rolled her eyes and turned her back to avoid disciplinary action. Odette ground her teeth angrily. She was a stickler for the rules.

"The first to twenty wins," McCrory told them.

She sounded the whistle and the final round began. Dennis didn't even have time to register the first point. The red light turned on signaling Derrick's point with a shot to the head. When the game proceeded again Derrick threw up a quinte and two tierce before turning a sixte into another point.

The red light kept going without a pause after that. Dennis continued to get more and more frustrated, even successfully throwing up a prime before falling for the feint. The round was done with two more blows to the head. Derrick wasn't even sweating.

"You cheated!" Dennis growled.

He was sweating like a pig and his beady grey eyes were tiny slits. His hands crossed making his gorget, the part that kept the helmet attached to the shoulders, pop out and flutter with his heavy breathing. His left shoulder brace was already flopping to the side. Odette thought it was a feat considering he was still wearing his jacket.

"No," Derrick said, "I have experience with fencing. I'm not like Odette. I actually see reason in knocking you down a few pegs."

The girl's cheeks flushed. She bent her head down and prayed nobody was looking her way. Coach McCrory's eyes were already on her, a fierce flame of accusation in the air.

"Loche and Prince, up!" McCrory said, "Richard you won for the beginners. Let's see the experts play."

Odette opened her mouth to argue. She was by no means an expert. But Annie Hart was in the background, shaking her head. Her stubborn chin tilted up and the instructions were clear.

Her big sister wanted her to prove her worth.

"Fine but any injuries are your fault," she growled.

Derrick laughed.

"I promise not to hurt you too bad," he said.

Odette rolled her eyes. She was talking about him. She saw his footwork. It wasn't nearly as sloppy as Dennis's but it still needed work. Of course not everyone had a dragon firing off at their feet when the mood hit them.

"Begin!" McCrory called.

The duel commenced with several parries and only one thrust. Odette unleashed a heavy huff when she realized she had been played. Derrick Prince knew she had been watching, yearning for a challenge. Well, if he wanted to play, so they would.

The green light went off a moment later. Odette beamed with pride. But Derrick was already smiling. She may not be able to see his face beyond the mask but she knew that bastard was smiling. Fine, if he wanted to have some fun. She could be fun.

She led in a series of volleys before another successful attack. Two more parries and this time both green and red went off. She grimaced because the girl knew exactly what that meant. The sabres clashed for the rest of the period, no clear winner in sights.

Just as McCrory was about to let her whistle blow, Odette finally had enough. She bent her knees good and low exactly as her mother taught her. Then she led with volleys meant to confuse and distract. With a slight twirl, hard given the scoring equipment of this world, she ducked the sabre aiming for her head and thrust her sabre directly into the boy's chest.

The green light shined bright.

"Game," McCrory said, "Loche wins. Hit the showers!"

Most of the silly girls of Browning Prep School Academy were slack-jawed as Odette removed herself from the podium. Her twin braids swung loose from the hot helmet. Her body glowed with the use of a good duel.

"You were amazing!" Derrick said, "I hope to duel with you again sometime. Practice is at 7:30. You should come. The next tournament is in Albany. You'd enjoy it."

"Not a chance," Odette sighed, "I'm not competing against spoiled little rich kids who think handouts are the way of life. I've got my own plans."

"Loche!" McCrory said, "Plans are canceled. You're on the team if you want to graduate."

Odette's jaw fell. That wasn't fair. She had plenty of credits. She wasn't on track to go to college. She didn't need the extra curricular activities. She simply needed to skate by. She didn't have time for this.

"Well Loche," Derrick said, "I'll be seeing you at practice."

 _How am I supposed to find Storybrooke now?_ Odette thought.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The vault was a no go. Robin couldn't even enter it now. Those same turrets surrounding the town line now decorated every inch of the cemetery. Even if someone were to enter, it would have to be through the giant black gates commanded by Rothbart's magic.

So the small group of Loxleys and Charmings were forced to find an alternative meet place. Naturally that became Granny's Diner. The old she-wolf welcomed them with a slight roll of her eyes. She was the only one who didn't seem fazed by the youngest Loxley's new looks.

"What is she doing here?"

Emma rolled her eyes and bit down on her tongue, hard. Of course it would be Leroy to speak first. The dwarf didn't know when to keep his trap shut on a good day. Now he was going to make a scene.

 _Great._

"Isn't she and that punk thief of hers the ones who killed Princess Abigail and her Frederick?" Leroy asked, though it was clearly rhetorical. "She should be locked up not roaming free!"

"And what's with the getup?" another dwarf asked, apparently Walter was awake again. "She looks like the Evil Queen!"

"Princess," Odette said, "I'm a princess!"

Her teeth ground together hard. A soft sneer took over her features. Her hands shook with the fury in her veins. Emma could tell it was a close call between her patience and another disaster.

"An Evil Princess," the bashful dwarf said.

This time Emma was losing her patience. They came here to think not be harassed. It was imperative that this family work together as a unit. It was the only way to break the curse.

"Wait with Regina being the Dark One isn't she technically now the Evil Queen?" Leroy asked.

And those stupid dwarves weren't helping!

"Alright that's it," Emma said, "Thank you guys so much for your help but we have more important things to do now."

"Like breaking the curse," Odette chimed.

Leroy opened his mouth to make another unfortunate comment. If it wasn't for Hook acting by thumping him on the head, there was no telling the danger they would have found themselves in. As it was Emma had to call for the old she-wolf's help just to get Odette out of there.

The mood was foul by the time they made it into a quiet room.

"Okay," Emma said, "Odette, let's start with how you are feeling."

"How I'm feeling?"

The girl looked puzzled to say the least. Her dress was already cinching tighter against her torso. Her skirts were hitching into a more imperial design. Raven locks were slowly winding their way up her head, bobbing and weaving into intricate images of wealth and power. And now jewelry was dawning every inch of visible skin.

"How do you think I'm feeling?" The girl asked, "My mother is the Dark One. Everyone I care about is being told I'm the enemy. At least three quarters of the population actually believe the bastard who cast this curse over me and Rumpelstiltskin just sentenced me to a lifetime of darkness. How do you think I feel?"

Granted she had a point, Emma still had to ask. The girl was exactly like her mother. Odette bottled things up and filed them away for later. It was a trait she learned because it kept her family happy. It was often the source of Regina's greatest woes. There wasn't a day that went by where the Good Queen didn't sigh in absolute despair over their stubborn similarities.

Even Zelena couldn't persuade her otherwise.

Now she was a walking image of the Evil Queen. Anybody who even started to believe her tale were going to be swayed the other way. Rothbart was smart with this curse.

But the Charming-Loxley-Mills-Jones family was smarter.

"This is all his fault anyway," Odette fumed, "All he had to do was ignore Rothbart's request and none of this would have happened. But no he had to go and get greedy because his plan just wasn't perfect enough."

Odette scowled and her make up became paler.

"No he had to make certain Mother felt alone and useless," she said, "He made her think she was a doll and he said it with such glee."

Now the girl was affecting the temperature of the room with her ranting.

"Oh this man is related to the girl I'm tricking into casting my curse's soulmate. Let's keep him on the backburner, good and hot, just in case I can't quite get her evil enough. That way I have something to threaten her with in the event she fails me."

Her dress changed color. It went from nice soft blue to a too sharp black. Her nails, likewise, twisted and turned to meet the color match. A bright, beautiful green to attract the eye to her growing claws.

"And then the bastard taught Grandmother magic," she scoffed, "as if that was a safe decision. Let's have the child I need grow up constantly abused and with no self-worth. Then we'll thrust her into the open arms of a king who will never see her and a child who murdered her first true love. Yeah, that's a brilliant idea."

"Odie," Robin said.

He stepped forward to intercept the pacing girl. No such luck prevailed. Odette was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to even pay him heed. She simply kept talking without once noticing the change to her clothes or demeanor.

"That's it!"

She stopped.

"That's how I stop this," she said, "Rumpelstiltskin is the man who did this. He trained all three of them. He's the common denominator. It's all his fault."

Panic, blindly raging filled the savior's very heart and soul at the girl's sharp words.

"Then I'm just going to have to kill him."

Before anybody could even act, the girl disappeared in a fog of her own precious purple smoke.

* * *

New York City – Then

Practice was uneventful. The vast majority of the team didn't have half the experience Odette had nor the talent to achieve. Her dueling partner was Derrick Prince purely because there were no other options. McCrory didn't even let them rest with everyone else so she could show what a real duel looked like.

"If I had you two even two years prior you'd be going to the Olympics for sure," McCrory crooned.

That ended the bit of fun Odette had. A harsh feeling of guilt flared in her chest. Derrick won the next two rounds because she couldn't fight anymore. She flung her helmet off in a giant fit and removed herself from the field.

"Hey," Derrick said, "What gives? You were fine a couple minutes ago."

Odette ignored him the best she could. She showered an extra fifteen minutes just to get her head straight. She took her time collecting her uniform and putting it on properly. She even chose to walk to the train station without signing out of the building.

He still found her. She was thinking about taking the A to Penn Station for a bit of shopping before meeting up with Henry… no, Daniel in Brooklyn on the L. He had an important meeting about one of his novels about their family. But Cora, Annie, did mention seeing a movie at the theatre on 34th.

"Listen I didn't mean to embarrass you back there," Derrick said, "I just wanted somebody to play with, you know? You actually beat me every time. Well you would have if you didn't disappear on me."

"You must think I'm an idiot!" Odette replied.

Another flash of guilt flared through her heart at the look of utter hurt on his face. If she knew him better she may have even apologized. But that sandy blonde hair and those black eyes were a dead giveaway.

"I'm sorry…" he began.

"I know who you are, Prince of Darkness," the girl explained, "You can stop trying to befriend me now. Whatever your evil plan is, it won't work."

The boy blinked at her and for a moment she worried she was wrong. Perhaps his resemblance to Rothbart was a fluke. Maybe he was just a transfer innocently trying to befriend her. A new friend she lost before their friendship even had a chance.

She failed him just like the rest of her family.

She decided to take the C train to 36th and find the nearest Dunkin Donuts instead. Yet the boy's presence continued to follow her even after she decided to walk to the little Greek restaurant down the way. Her table was chosen and the boy sat down right across from her without invitation.

"You know…" he said, "I mean: You've known the whole time?"

Odette nodded relief flooding her veins. She tried to fix her braids before remembering she decided to forgo them. She had wanted to lose him in the crowd. Now her dark curls were out for everyone to see. She quickly tucked a stray strand behind her left ear and cursed herself.

That's what her mother did when she was nervous.

"When…?" He tried.

"You look just like him," she explained, "Cora knew who you were the moment you sat next to me in Math."

The boy nodded dumbstruck. He ordered his food without looking at the menu. Then he told the waitress he would be covering the bill entirely. Odette tried to smile politely at the poor woman. Then she scowled at the boy who dared offer her something so mundane.

"If you think that will make up for everything your father did to my family," she began.

His hands were thrust up in the air immediately. His head shook violently. Then he grabbed onto her hands and pulled them close. Black eyes stared into blue depths, true sorrow in his expression.

"I may be here under his orders but I have no intention of causing you or your family harm."

Odette rolled her eyes.

"You say that like I'm supposed to believe you," she said.

"You can," Derrick said, "Please, trust me. I don't want any part of this war any more than you do. It's not my fault he's my father. Don't punish me for his mistakes."

"Where's Storybrooke?" Odette asked.

The boy looked dumbstruck. He struggled for breath before shaking his head violently again. Then he had to quickly correct himself. The waitress returned with their meal, two lamb gyro platters with the cucumber yogurt in a cup on the side.

"I remember you saying you didn't like it when we went to that farm on a field trip," he said.

Odette shrugged her shoulders and dug into the lamb with relish. If he was going to pay then she would eat the whole thing. She wasn't even going to use her table manners. She was going to eat like the pig her mother didn't raise her to be. This was simply another day at the Merry Men's camp where she and Roland were free to be.

"So your sister is here?" Derrick asked.

Odette rolled her eyes again. She then took a giant bite of her pita and added in some olives for show. She reveled in the disgusting show she made.

"N m' bruzzers," she said.

Mother would be scandalized. That was the only fact that made her swallow down the food. She wiped away at the corners of her mouth and looked around. Luckily nobody seemed to notice her rude display.

"But you don't have the same names?" Derrick said, "I looked everywhere. Who is Cora?"

"Annie Hart," Odette sighed, "You should really do better research if you plan on being a villain's lackey or… well, villain in training in your case."

This time it was Derrick who rolled his eyes.

"I'm not the villain," he said, "I'm trying to prove my loyalty. Give me a chance."

"Where's Storybrooke?" Odette replied, "You want me to believe you're on our side. Help me find it."

"I find Storybrooke and I'm on your side?" Derrick sounded hopeful even as he asked.

"Do we have a deal?"

"Deal!"

They shook hands on it immediately. Nobody else seemed aware of the slight golden glow that encased their embrace. But the people of this realm didn't understand magic. Odette merely swallowed down her food and hoped she didn't make a mistake.

"Just so you know I'm planning on ordering three of everything before the night is through," she said.

"By all means, princess," Derrick said.

* * *

Storybrooke – Then

Mr. Gold was more than prepared to end the day early. The accusations flying his way were much too much. The last thing he needed was more heroes disavowing his honor because of his actions as the Dark One.

So he called his wife and prepared to make it a day. He would take Belle out on a lovely picnic and then he would send a letter to his son. Perhaps Gideon would even join them for dinner tonight.

Of course that plan, as others seemed to go, turned sour moments later when Belle Gold raced through the door.

"Rumple," she shouted, "You have to help me. She's trying to kill me."

The pawnbroker wanted to ask who. Unfortunately he had a tiny inkling crawling up his spine. And certainly his suspicions were confirmed when moments later a puff of purple smoke appeared out of nowhere.

It was no human that appeared behind the veil. No instead a sword laid itself upon the floor, parchment wrapped daintily around its blade. The peacock feather was mocking as Rumpelstiltskin pulled away the twine to read the message within.

 _Rumple dear,_

the letter said:

 _Perhaps it is time well passed for you to receive but a taste of your own medicine. Arrive in the forest and face your crimes like a true man or it will be your precious Belle to pay the piper. For as you told my mother so many years ago, all magic comes with a price and you are well past due._

 _With my sincerest hope to see you soon,_

 _Odette Loxley, Crowned Princess of Fantasia and Sherwood_

The letter ended with the infamous seal, the rampant lion unleashing its glorious roar. If Rumpelstiltskin had a moment more to think he would have realized his own mistake. He touched the sword and the very letter it was attached to at the same time.

Purple whirled and twirled around them. Weightlessness came shattering the pawnbroker's heart and his resolve. For there in the middle of the forest they appeared to be. And the weapon glowed brightly in warning.

"Run!" He said.

Mr. Gold threw the sword away with all of his might. He pushed Belle in a direction and together they ran. Boulders came crashing towards them out of thin air. Trees purposefully jumped in their way, branches falling down to catch them in their hard grasp.

It was only pure luck they were able to dodge. Rumple held his wife's arm tight in his grasp as they traversed the dangerous wood. He silently thought that perhaps his tight was too tight but the thought flittered away as quickly as it formed. His main concern was getting her out of there and protecting her from harm.

"Rumple," Belle cried.

"Not now," he said.

They were much too close. The town was the only safe place. If he could reach it before the princess did, they would be safe.

No, Belle would be safe.

There was no doubt who would truly suffer today. Rumpelstiltskin was well-aware of his crimes against the Loxley-Mills family. He knew without a doubt that Odette would make well on her promises. The darkness had control of her and it knew him like no other.

Yes, he recognized the strands of magic wrapped firmly around the youngest Loxley girl. He was once proudly embraced in their soft caress. It felt almost as good as life itself, breathing in that familiar stale air.

Not even the most powerful of sorcerers could stop it. Merlin died fighting it. Nimue gave in with a wicked grin and a happy laugh. Emma Swan did it for love but she was no exception. Only she and Killian Jones were ever brave enough to end it at all. Their legacy was nothing compared to the legacy of Cora Mills and her two daughters.

Evil was born to rule in that family.

"Here Belle," Rumple said, "We're almost to the townline."

It was a stupid plan, he knew. But for Belle he would do anything. If forcing the woman he loved most of all into a world of no magic was his price, he would pay. Belle deserved everything and so much more.

"Quickly," he cried, "we must get you there before the girl shows."

A stone wall appeared in the distance. Rumpelstiltskin's heart soared only to come crashing down moments later. The stonewall expanded the length of the townline. It was no sheer coincidence. Rothbart wanted him to suffer too.

"Rumple," Belle cried, "What do we do?"

"We run," he said, "Emma Swan is the only one who can save us now."

He turned around and thrust his wife before him. Together they lunged forward with momentum building in their steps. Her breath hitched and he was already feeling terrible pains in his side.

Then an arrow struck appeared from the woods.

* * *

Somewhere in the Adirondacks – Then

The trip went well beyond Albany. Apparently it was meant to take place in multiple fields upstate. They were currently on a campground that boasted its prowess in outdoor athletics. McCrory expected her two star players to beat all opponent fencers by a landslide.

Today was the only free day they had to explore. Odette still didn't trust Derrick so she was only mildly annoyed when she found herself rising out of the water with the boy sitting dangerously close to her clothes. His right hand even hovered dangerously over her pajama bottoms.

"So the rumors are true," Derrick said, "You Fantasians really do bathe in the river."

Odette rolled her eyes. It was a common affliction in present company. Derrick would always say something dumb and she was forced to bite back her tongue. It wasn't fair. She was supposed to be the crazy one in this scenario.

"No," she said, "Fantasians use showers far better than the ones found in this realm. You're thinking of Sherwood and that was only a rumor my mother started before she began courting my father. That one she spread about the pinecones though, that's true. I almost peed my pants when I found out. I was five so don't judge."

Derrick made some scoffing sound but Odette ignored him. She instead grabbed onto her towel and wrapped it firmly around her raven hair. She twisted and pulled until the strands were dry enough. Then she proceeded to form her signature braids.

"Why two?" The boy asked.

Odette didn't roll her eyes this time. She simply ignored him in favor of tying off her styled hair. Only then did she decide to towel off her bikini top.

"My mother rarely braids her own hair," she explained, "When she did she would braid mine and Cora's in two so we all matched but were still unique."

She expected ridicule or even begging for more information. He simply nodded his head and smiled. It was enough for Odette to almost like him. If she squinted just right and ignored that smug smirk of his after every victory.

"Isn't it a bit cold to be swimming in the river?" Derrick asked, "It's mid-May."

"In Sherwood the water is colder even in the dead heat of summer," the girl explained, "Cold water is the norm for me. I imagine the same cannot be said for you."

The boy shook his head and refused to elaborate. Odette shrugged her shoulders. She grabbed her towel and finished off her hair. Then she proceeded to put on a pair of jeans and her riding boots.

"Why the boots?"

Odette rolled her eyes. That was every boy's question. Why the old riding boots in obvious need of repair? Why didn't she just chuck them to the curb and get a new one? Her 'foster father' had tons of money, clearly she could benefit from a new pair.

"Because they're mine," she said.

She began to walk away at a brisk pace. Derrick didn't seem to catch the hint. He followed her, the fool. A sharp tug on her arm had them face to face, blue eyes to black.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to overstep my bounds."

"Then quit asking questions about my family!"

"I didn't," Derrick said, "I was only asking about a pair of boots."

"And how is that different?"

The shock upon his face said it all. He hadn't realized the truth. The boy had simply seen a pair of worn boots and assumed some silly reason behind her affinity for them. Odette rolled her eyes again. Boys could be so stupid.

"They are the last gift my parents gave to me before the curse," she said, "Your father found the missing ingredient and ruined everything exactly three weeks later; on my birthday."

He opened his mouth to apologize. At least she assumed that was his intention. She never allowed him the chance to respond. She shrugged away the prince's useless words and continued on toward camp. Never mind the sharp sting in her eyes. She was a big girl. She knew how a true princess behaved.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The arrow hit dead center barely an inch from Gold's outstretched fingertips. It was enough to startle Belle into his arms, cowering despite herself. He held her close and turned in the direction of the arrow.

Gone away was the young woman who first entered Storybrooke. Standing in her place was an Evil Princess with raven locks curled to perfection, plastered to her skull in an elegant bun of power. Her dress was transformed. A corset clung to her abdomen, green and filled with bloody red hearts that glowed with every step. The same emerald color clung to her arms in rich velvet that wrapped around her figure as a riding coat. Her legs were fitted with her mother's familiar leather; black and tumbling from pant to boot without a hint of skin to show.

She lowered her bow with a cocky twist of her head. Her arms went to her waist and she held the air of haughtiness in her every step. The bow disappeared with a simple twirl of her fingers.

"My father is Robin Hood," she said, "Did you really think I would miss?"

She stepped forward again with her hand outstretched ready for whatever evil she had planned. But this evil never came. Instead a flash of white appeared and the princess was thrown backwards.

Emma Swan appeared in the middle of the woods, Robin Hood and the rest of the family on her heels. Roland had a bow drawn and aimed at his sister. Prince Charming carefully held his sword. Even Henry held a couple of knives in his grasp.

Yet none acted. The Loxleys and Charmings refused to budge forward. They didn't dare step against their youngest member. They were frozen in place by sheer fear alone.

It was Rumpelstiltskin who acted first. His experience with the Mills family was notorious. If anyone knew how to handle the evil version it would be him.

"Please," he said, "Your revenge is with me. Belle need not be part of this."

"Indeed," Odette replied.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't know what to do. The girl simply stared her blue eyes at him with expectation. It too was another similarity amongst the women of her family. So he nodded his head and fell to his knees. He leaned forward, forehead on dry dirty leaves.

"I beg for your mercy, Sweet Princess," he said, "and pray you grant my wife amnesty from whatever punishment you deem fit for me.

The pawnbroker's head was violently forced back. His neck flared with pain as twin blue eyes stared hard into his soul. Odette was unimpressed with his display. He could see it in the slight curl of her lip.

"One problem," she said.

She was calm as she delicately raised her hand. It came up to caress the man's cheeks ever so tenderly. Then like lightning her fingers crinkled until his jaw was held firmly in her grasp.

"Today I am not the princess of fantasia," she said, "I am so much more."

She wasn't kind when she forced him to his feet. She pushed her hand forward and the gimp hit a tree with a solid thwack! Something crunched behind him. Pain radiated upon his shoulder and tail bone.

Odette turned towards her intended victim, a serene smile upon her lips. Belle made to move but her feet were glued. Rumpelstiltskin knew it was magic keeping her planting so firmly to the Earth. Odette knew it to for her grin turned demonic as she inched her way forward.

"Today," Odette said, "I am the Evil Queen's daughter."

She plunged her hand into the very depths of the librarian's chest. Out came the heart, glowing bright red. Emma couldn't help but note how big it looked in Odette's tiny hands.

"Stealing hearts is after all the family business."

She smiled as she spoke. The glint of madness transformed into something more. There was true evil in those bright blue depths. She squeezed the heart lightly and the librarian screamed.

The sound seemed to exhilarate the young princess. She was laughing and altogether giddy. She stepped forward as if to add to Belle's pain. Rumpelstiltskin fought hard, forcing his lips to act as the useless protective wall between his wife and death's embrace.

"Please," he said, "I love her."

This begging only seemed to make the girl happier. Her smiled turned to one of pure villainy. She brought her hand up in a vicious c shape. The man fell to his knees before her. Now she towered over the coward of a man and happiness seemed hers to take.

"Oh Rumple," she said, "Don't you know?"

"Love is weakness."

And with that she crushed the heart to ash, laughing at the screams emitted by all.

* * *

New York City – Then

The tourney ended with its champion. A silver and gold cup went home to Browning Prep. Finally there were two students who excelled in the fencing market. McCrory was practically beside herself with pride.

"The only thing better than watching my guys throw down the law," she said, "Was seeing them tee off in the final round. If Loche hadn't lost her footing she would have won I swear it."

Odette tried to ignore the blasted woman. It wasn't her fault. She spent her life in a safe little bubble where magic didn't exist and demons weren't waiting to be slain. So the girl tried hard not to take the woman's words to heart.

Yet the pain still hurt.

"You let me win."

The girl rolled her eyes. Silently she cursed herself. Why did he always have to be there? Wasn't she allowed one moment of peace without that boy constantly leaning over her shoulder, observing everything to find a way into her good graces.

It was sickening. She was caught in an endless loop and there was nothing she could do to stop it. School was such an evil invention. How could something she once enjoyed so much be so easily tainted, like everything now was, by Rothbart?

"I didn't," she said.

But the boy would not be deterred. He invited himself in the seat beside her and tapped her hand with a rolled up magazine. She rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head.

The bastard had the nerve to grin boyishly her way.

"Leave me alone," she begged.

Derrick simply shook his head and laughed.

"You're too late," he said, "I'm already here and you let me win!"

He accented each word with a quick wrap on her knuckles. If she had the energy or the care she would have roasted him with a good kick in the groin. As it was, melancholy had taken its hold. She could no longer feel anything other than pure apathy.

"Tell me why," Derrick whined.

Odette growled. Her teeth ground together and she had the startling image of her mother throwing fireballs in her mind's eye. If she concentrated hard enough the boy's wicked taunts sounded like arrows flicking through the air at their targets, bursting into flames when magic and arrow combined.

"Why did you let me win?" Derrick repeated.

The girl strained against her instincts. She would not be pulled into another mindless debate. She was the daughter of King Robin. A simple rise of taunts would do her no harm.

"Tell me why you let me win and I promise to stop bugging you," Derrick hummed.

Screw it. She had her mother's temperament anyway.

"Because I don't like you!"

She stood tall now. She towered over the boy still seated safely on the bus. It was invigorating to find herself finally above him. Yet the simple victory soon turned hollow.

Derrick's face fell. His sharp features turned sour. Even his stupid black eyes turned away from her stubborn gaze.

Guilt immediately flared.

"My parents are gone," Odette said.

She sat down by his side and grabbed his hand. It was a surprise to her as much as him when she started lightly stroking his fingers. But Derrick didn't pull away and that was enough. He turned to her with every intention of hearing her out.

"I am their kingdom's legacy," she explained, "To revel in victory is a falsehood, a trick of sloth meant to weaken my heart and my mind."

"I don't understand."

Odette swallowed. Somehow the sting in her eyes returned. She tried to bat them away but it was useless. Everything she did was useless with him.

"My family is made up of heroes and villains," the girl said, "I am free to choose my own path without judgement. I can fight my inner demons and turn out victorious or I can drown in their sorrow and still my family will love me."

Finally understanding dawned. Derrick nodded his hand and his eyes lowered once more. Odette had to struggle to keep his chin up and those black eyes looking into her soul.

"You don't have that," she said, "and that makes this harder. I am free to make mistakes as I please. I have my family to fall back onto even with this stupid curse. Their memories and achievements live on through me."

Her hand found his heart. The steady lub-dub of something so precious and pure almost brought her visions of a past well-known but so easily forgotten. Somehow, she just knew his heart was filled with light.

"Your father will disown you the moment your disloyalty is known. By choosing me you are doing so much more than choosing your own path."

"I'm choosing between light and dark," Derrick said, "I know the cost of my decisions, Odette. I'm more than willing to pay the price required."

"Yes," the girl agreed, "but you're mistaken about the price. You believe you are choosing the side of friend or foe-"

"Aren't I?"

Odette shook her head. That same heaviness clung to the air now. Unbearable tension grew as if to mock her of the levity of their lives, the reality they both were destined to fulfill.

"No," she said, "You're choosing your family."

She paused to allow him the weight of this revelation. Her right thumb rubbed away at his chest to provide whatever comfort she could. Still her heart trembled in fear at not being rightfully heard.

"If you choose me… choose us, you lose everything you've ever known. Your entire past will be erased into nothing more than a memory-"

"How is that any different from what you face now?"

"Because I know I will see my family again," Odette replied, "I will break the curse and I will save them. No matter the path I choose I will see my mother and father again. My aunts and uncles will hug and kiss me all the same. My hope will always remain…"

"And I will be forever left in the dark," Derrick sighed.

He leaned back and her hand fell. It lay limp between them, thick as the tension in the air. The sad truth of them laid bare.

Odette smiled.

"But you don't have to be," she said, "You can choose to revel in the light with the rest of us. I just want it to be your choice."

"Why?" Derrick asked, "Shouldn't you try to recruit me to join your forces? I know your enemy better than anyone. Surely that must be worth something to you."

"It is," she sighed, "but not if it blackens your heart."

A silence surrounded them. Odette watched as black eyes disappeared behind copper lids. Sandy blonde locks spiked up as nervous fingers raked recklessly through them.

"Why does this matter so much to you?" Derrick asked, "No matter my decision I will still be viewed as a monster. What purpose can it serve to choose and be denied by both?"

Odette shrugged.

"My people call me the Princess of Second Chances and I shall do everything in my power to live up to that," she said. "So, I choose to believe that you can be more than just the son of an evil man. And I believe you deserve the chance to show everyone that too. But it will only work if you choose the path that best fits you. If you consider anyone else you will only fail."

Derrick stared at her bewildered.

"How did you get so wise?"

Odette smiled her cheeks burning at the unused muscle behind.

"My parents raised me to be a believer of hope. What other choice did I have?"

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The screams subsided only after a few minutes. Odette's harsh laughter could not be contained and confusion flared through the small group. Both Robin and Emma shared twin looks of dismay. The girl still wore her regal attire but her victim remained standing.

Belle and Rumple were both staring at each other completely confused.

"What?" Odette asked when the looks became much too much, "You didn't actually think I'd fall for it, did you?"

Now it was Emma's turn to be confused.

"Odie," she said.

The girl's laughter died with that one word. True fear fell on her features. A lonely lock of raven hair fell from its tight clasp with the force of her turn towards the Savior.

"You did," she gasped, "you all actually thought I'd fall to darkness just like that."

She snapped her finger to emphasize her point. Her bright blue eyes turned to the source of her anger and she huffed his way. A delicate, manicured finger slammed into his chest and true anger boiled from her lips.

"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?" She scowled at the man, "Did you think I wasn't already prepared for the horror of my anger? I am not my mother!"

Her foot raised and fell in a vicious stomp to prove her point. Her petticoat twirled as she too stomped away. The anger on her features made both savior and outlaw swallow in pain.

"I grew up loved and cared for," Odette said, "I have never had to worry about who I am or getting what I want. My every whim has been granted since birth. I know who I am and what my family does."

She turned back to the imp she despised, the anger falling as the librarian caught her gaze. Such sadness marred her pretty features. It was a shy bow that took over her form before she remembered herself.

"I know the truth," the girl cried, "Evil isn't born. It's made. It is a choice between what is easy and what is right. It is pain and it is happiness and I choose my own destiny!"

Stubborn tears formed in her eyes. Emma could see them glistening so ready to fall. She didn't even think. She raced to the girl's side and grabbed her hand easily.

"I do admit I was tempted," Odette said, "I so wanted Rumpelstiltskin to suffer as he made my mother suffer, as he hurt so many other members of our family. But it's Belle!"

She pointed the librarian's way to prove her point. Softness took over her harsh features again. And that same kind light Emma remembered from the babe shined now even brighter in the young woman before her.

"Belle's my family too and you don't turn your back on family," Odette cried, "So I thought why would Rothbart cast a spell on me when he didn't know where my hatred lies."

Emma felt her heart freeze. The answer was in the question. It was obvious simply by the smile filling the girl's face.

 _Because he did know._

It was the only explanation. His plan was to do to Odette what had already been done to Neal. He wanted her to join the darkness once and for all. Then there would be no one left to break his curse.

Storybrooke would finally be his to control.

"He did know," Odette replied. "He would want me to kill his old master's true love. He would want me to kill Belle to punish Rumpelstiltskin. He wanted me to choose darkness just like my mother, just like every single woman in my family."

"But you didn't," Rumpelstiltskin said, "It wasn't her heart you crushed."

The surprise on his face was amazing. He looked like a cross between a slapped mackerel and a piece of road kill. His entire form shook and still he found the strength to rise to his feet. The pawnbroker stared at the girl stunned.

"I took a page out of the Dark One's book of tricks," Odette said, "I simply glammered a wineskin."

A small smirk appeared on Rumpelstiltskin's face. There was a glint of dark pride shimmering in his eyes. If Emma wasn't so impressed herself, she'd sneer at the man.

"What?" Odette said, "Stealing hearts isn't the family business. Saving people is."

A round of applause erupted from one source. The librarian's hands were clapping quite violently. She even had a bright beaming smile on her face.

"Bravo," she said, "I commend you."

A flash of red and Belle went away. In her place, Lord Rothbart stood. Robin had his bow drawn and ready as soon as the smoke cleared.

"You," the outlaw scowled.

"Indeed," Rothbart replied.

The two men glared at each other. Emma pulled Odette back. She watched as Rumpelstiltskin rushed away, surprise back in his golden eyes.

"Oh," Odette cried, "I thought he was you. Oopsies."

She pointed to Rumpelstiltskin as she spoke. Then she shrugged her shoulders and erupted. Twin white balls of fire formed in her hands. Emma was almost relieved at the motion.

"You could have been unstoppable," Rothbart said, "You would have been my greatest pupil. You and your sister would have razed the world."

"Clearly you don't know what my happy ending is," Odette cried, "It was never to be the very best. I only ever needed something to destroy."

"You will regret this," Rothbart said.

Odette shook her head. She extinguished the fireballs and shrugged her shoulders. Then she looked towards her father and godmother with a gleam too much like her mother's to be ignored.

"No," she said, "I won't."

An owl appeared where the man once stood. It lifted its great powerful wings and took off towards the heavens. It seemed to chuckle as it soared higher and higher leaving them all in the dust.

Red dust surrounded Odette just as quickly. As it cleared her outfit changed again. The royal façade of the Evil Princess went away. Upon her shoulders was a forest green jacket. A sword was tucked away at her hip. Dark wash jeans decorated her legs. And perfect heels covered her feet.

"Hey look at that," the girl cheered, "I'm the princess of second chances again!"

 _The Princess of Second Chances_ , Emma smiled at the thought, she was indeed.

"Now," Odette said, "Rumpelstiltskin, I need your help. I need you to tell me everything you remember about Rothbart. Because I am going to destroy him."

"I'm afraid I can offer nothing of assistance," the pawnbroker replied, "But I do have something of value. It's a book and I hid it where none dare enter."

"Where?" Robin asked.

"Your grandfather's tomb," Mr. Gold said.

* * *

New York City – Then

Derrick walked through the chilly morning air in a huff. He watched carefully as people skated along on their fly scooters. A green cab came barreling past at a ninety-degree angle. A hologram came out, enticing him to try some spicy chicken and biscuits for a cool crisp price of nine ninety-nine.

The payphone was blessedly unattended. No one noticed as he slid his credit card through. It beeped for a few minutes, accessing his list of contacts and determining the most frequently called number. What a redundant motive for a robot, to scan a card that only ever held one number.

The call connected with a perfect vroom-voip! Magic, as much as Derrick hated the stuff, always came to pay the perfect price.

"Hey Dad," Derrick said, "I found them."

He completed the conversation with a few cursery 'hmms' and 'uh-huhs'. Then he hung up with a crisp nod and a satisfied smile. The card removed itself from the till and the air filters kicked on.

Derrick traveled ten blocks before he dared look at his card's map. The red dot pinged brighter and brighter the longer he took a look. An eagle appeared and the prince of darkness knew.

Like his father's card found New York; so too he found Storybrooke.

* * *

Storybrooke – Now

The soft hum of the black mustang reverberated in the stone halls. A gate opened to allow the hybrid its freedom. Sharp LED headlights projected the chosen path, a winding trail abandoned by the white beachy shores. Their bright beam fell upon five hooded figures encircling their prey.

"You're late," a dark voice said.

The woman wore an extremely inappropriate dress for the weather. Her corset squeezed her bosom to bursting. The skirt scraped hard against the ground, gold flecks shimmering in the moonlight. The hooped skirt must have been her only source of heat. Even the few strands of raven hair couldn't hide away the shivers afflicting her shoulders.

Her purple eyes glowed brighter in the dark.

"Please accept my sincerest regrets," Derrick said, "Traffic was a nightmare… your majesty."

He finished his speech with a small bow. It was meant to showcase his royal demeanor. Yet the queen was thoroughly unimpressed. She gave him crisp instructions to follow her and nothing more.

When the lights of the car faded away a new ambiance took over. Red glimmered in the middle of a deep pit. The flames flickered in a perfect circle no need for stone to hold back its powerful call, floating on air was its best defense.

"My son," another voice said, "Returned to me at last."

Lord Rothbart wore a dark suit with the family crest sewn into the tie and lapels. Even in the dim red glow of the queen's fireball the young man could see the roaring lion. It was the sole image that haunted him day and night for so long.

"It was a long journey, father," Derrick bowed.

He tried his damnedest to ignore the sneer of derision. Purple eyes were narrowed into tiny slights but their true feeling could not be hid away. The queen held nothing but distaste for the many who acted as her prison guard. Derrick fought hard to not bear his teeth in annoyance.

"Hush now," Rothbart said, "You're here now and our plans can begin."

Derrick didn't have to fake this smile. He felt it pull away at his lips and allowed it to form with sincerity. Then he turned to the queen and delivered a lovely wink trying to be coy.

"Your majesty," he said, "I must say it is refreshing to finally see the source of your daughter's great beauty."

The queen's purple eyes blazed like never before. Her look of disgust quickly turned to true fear and her pale complexion turned whiter still. A sharp gasp fell from her lips before a tiny delicate fist wrapped itself firmly around his own leather jacket.

"What have you done to Cora?" She hissed.

"Enough," Rothbart said.

Derrick's eyes turned away from the queen long enough to notice the wide-eyed Annie Hart. He gave her a gentle nod and darted his eyes in the queen's direction. Annie's gaze lowered. She turned instead to inspect her nails. Her gaze was anywhere but upon them.

"You thought you would get to the daughter and that Robin Hood would just welcome you with open arms? What an idea, you brilliant boy!" Rothbart said, "Tell me when you plan next to strike?"

The young man shook his head finger pressing hard against lips to conceal the secret. His eyes once again darted to Annie Hart. Her red locks fell to hide away her freckled face. Yet those bright blue eyes boiled every time they turned towards the man to her left.

Blue eyes were the first thing he noticed though they were far duller than his feminine compatriot. His chin was chiseled and held a bit of blonde scruff at its edges. His raven hair was smoothed back flat against his head and his tailored suit mirrored Rothbart's perfectly.

"You must be Neal," Derrick said.

He held out his hand in invitation expecting a warm greeting or at the very least a handshake. Instead the prince's blue eyes darkened further and contempt played on his features. He shrugged the hand away in scorn.

"I am no longer a fool," the prince said, "Here, I am Ryan King. Do not mistake me for such a peasant again."

He walked away without further comment. Rothbart looked more than pleased with the results. He smiled happily as the queen's dagger gleamed in his hand.

"Now that we have that settled," he said, "It's time for my real work to begin."

He pulled from his grasp a black box with a crimson heart on its cover. The queen's purple gaze turned away while Annie Hart gasped. Even Prince Neal… Ryan King looked mildly impressed.

"Is that?" He asked.

"Queen Cora's wand," Rothbart nodded, "The queen of hearts was unaware of its true power. But she was not of our breeding, was she my love?"

The queen scowled away at the address. Her nose crinkled and Derrick was struck by the stunning similarity between Regina Mills and Odette Loche. Beyond the heavy make-up and the silly dress, the familial resemblance became plain to see.

Except Odette preferred braids and jeans to the style of her station.

"Yes Master," Regina said in a low growl that showed her disdain, "This wand will lead you to your victory."

"Very well," Rothbart said, "Allow me to explain the rest of my plan..."

* * *

 **In the Next Chapter:**

Rothbart reveals his true plan to cause Robin the most pain. In the past, we finally find out what Robin did to make Rothbart hate him so much.


End file.
